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Public Defender office reports caseload decline but flags reunification delays, requests cost analysis
Summary
Durham County Public Defender Dawn Baxton told commissioners caseloads declined to 8,408 in FY2024–25 but staffing constraints and the defunding of the Family Drug Treatment Court have lengthened family reunification times; the Board asked staff for calculations and historical cost data on family justice courts.
Dawn Baxton, Public Defender, presented an operational update to the Board of County Commissioners, reporting that the office disposed of 8,408 cases in FY2024–25—below pre-pandemic annual levels of 10,000–15,000—and that the office operates with approximately 25 attorneys. She told the Board that heavy dockets and limited court sessions contribute to lengthy family reunification timelines.
Ms. Baxton emphasized that programs intended to speed reunification, such as the Family Drug Treatment Court, have been defunded, and she noted the Safe Babies Court program as an example of a resource that helped parents access services to support reunification. The office also lacks dedicated physical storage for permanent files for juvenile, abuse and neglect, and homicide cases and currently shares space with the District Attorney’s office.
Board members asked staff to calculate how much longer reunification currently takes compared with when the Family Drug Treatment Court operated and to provide historical cost data for reopening family justice courts. County Manager Hager said staff would investigate historical costs and that a courthouse assessment might be needed to determine whether reconfiguration could accommodate additional staff.
Ms. Baxton clarified the Public Defender Office’s role in involuntary commitment cases is to represent people in custody who are entitled to hearings; she said judges can act on commitments and that defenders do not themselves request placement at a recovery response center.
The Board directed staff to return the requested calculations and cost estimates for further consideration.
