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Public defender warns of rising costs and salary gap with county attorney; asks commissioners for relief
Summary
Douglas County Public Defender Thomas Riley told commissioners discovery platforms, expert‑witness fees, and transcription costs are driving an over‑target budget request; he highlighted statutory salary parity with deputy county attorneys and urged adjustments to retain staff.
Douglas County Public Defender Thomas Riley told the board on June 2 his office’s FY2026–27 budget is over the county target because of technology, expert and transcription costs and rising salary pressure.
Riley said vendor discovery platforms now required for compatibility with local law‑enforcement evidence systems have increased non‑salary costs. He described Axon’s upgraded discovery platform and noted the office negotiated a multi‑year contract and applied a supplemental grant; the change still added recurring charges. "The program originally...was 90,000... the total increase on Axon is 23,782," he said in explaining contract adjustments and grant offsets.
Riley also warned that courts and appellate practice now increasingly require expert witnesses to challenge scientific and forensic evidence, adding that his office spent about $205,000 on experts last year and is already over that level this year. He requested supplemental increases for professional fees and court‑related services and cited the growing time burden of reviewing large volumes of phone and body‑camera data.
On salaries, Riley pointed to a Nebraska statute that requires assistant public defenders in certain counties to receive the same annual salary as comparable deputy county attorneys. He said starting salaries for new lawyers have risen in neighboring counties and that Douglas County must address compression to retain staff: "We're losing lawyers...and when you're talking about mandatory minimum sentences and complex cases, retaining experienced counsel matters," he said.
Public comment during the session included a resident who described a negative personal experience with courthouse interactions and urged accountability; Riley said that public‑safety and court issues increase demand on his office.
What’s next: Riley’s office will continue to work with county finance to refine the budget request and supply supporting documentation; commissioners asked for follow‑up materials.
