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Lassen County district attorney urges board to review indigent defense eligibility and costs
Summary
Lassen County District Attorney Melissa Rios told supervisors she is seeing people who report six-figure incomes receiving court-appointed lawyers and urged the board to consider a public session to examine screening and cost recovery before the budget hearings.
Melissa Rios, identified in public comment as Lassen County District Attorney, told the board she recently reviewed probation paperwork showing a defendant who reported an annual income of about $93,600 yet received court-appointed counsel.
"If a person receives indigent defense services, Merry Christmas, and the county is not able to recoup those costs," Rios said, urging supervisors to consider directing staff or engaging the judiciary before the county's budget hearings. She said recent legislative changes have ended the county's ability to seek repayment of defense-panel costs and that the county’s appointment practices were producing cases where high-income individuals receive free counsel.
Rios gave case-volume figures to illustrate scale: from July 1, 2024, to June 30, 2026, her office filed 1,444 cases; she said roughly 1,311 of those involved appointed counsel, of which about 400 were prison cases and the county bears the cost for the remainder. She recommended the board consider agendizing a public session to explore whether screening practices or other local actions could reduce costs or better target resources.
Board members responded that the item could be placed on a future agenda for public discussion and possible direction to staff; no formal action was taken during the meeting.
