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Public defender urges permanent investigator to curb caseload stress and meet ethical duties
Summary
The Coconino County Public Defender asked supervisors to fund a full‑time investigator, saying current staff levels force attorneys to perform investigation or leave work undone; the director said the investigator request is the office's top priority given rising trials and media‑heavy evidence.
Jennifer Stock, director of the Coconino County Public Defender's Office, told the Board the office is facing rising caseload pressure, heavier evidence loads (body‑cam and other media) and a growing number of jury trials — and urged the county to fund a permanent investigator rather than a short extension.
Stock explained why an independent investigator is not optional for effective defense: attorneys cannot ethically perform investigative duties that would put them in the role of a witness, so investigators perform skip‑tracing, witness…
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