Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Court Appointed Attorneys topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Oscoda County increases court-appointed attorney funding for child-protection and juvenile cases
Summary
The Board of Commissioners approved an increase to court-appointed attorney funds and amended the budget to add up to $84,200 after the court administrator warned of shortages and rising hourly costs for representation in probate, neglect and abuse matters.
The Oscoda County Board of Commissioners voted Feb. 11 to acknowledge an increased contract for court-appointed attorney representation in probate, delinquency and child protective proceedings and to amend the county budget to add up to $84,200 to the attorney-fees line.
Mr. Tom Pratt, court administrator, told the board there is a “huge need for attorney representation specifically in Probate, Neglect and Abuse” and said geographic and recruitment challenges make it difficult to secure counsel willing to work in Oscoda County. “I realize that this is a significant increase, however, this is much needed for the sake of children of Oscoda County who deserve proper representation,” Pratt said.
Pratt said he is applying for a continuous grant beginning in 2026 for $24,200 with a 25% reimbursement to the county annually and cautioned that hourly rates can rise; he cited that attorneys have charged “upwards of $150.00 per hour” and referenced Crawford County’s recent spending, saying that county paid “over $250,000.00 last year.”
Commissioner Charles E. Varner Jr., board chair, responded that the trial court operates as its own employer while coming to the board for budgetary approvals and that the county is facing the same statewide challenge of attracting counsel. After discussion, the board approved motions to acknowledge the contract increase and to raise the TC APPT ATTY FEES budget line (motions 2025-051 and 2025-052). Both votes were unanimous.
The motions do not create a permanent program but authorize a budget amendment to cover anticipated costs. The court administrator said the change aims to reduce the risk that the county would face substantially higher outlays if cases require expensive outside counsel. The board did not specify additional programmatic oversight or reporting requirements at the meeting.
The board will incorporate the amended line into the county’s fiscal records; further budget adjustments or grant outcomes will be presented at future meetings.
