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Court orders $27,032.25 attorney-fee payment after appeals process
Summary
The court voted to authorize payment of a judge-determined attorney-fee award of $27,032.25 following an appeal review by the 9th Administrative Judicial Region; commissioners discussed whether the attorney would accept the award and passed the payment 5–0.
Samantha Wilson presented a history of a fee voucher originally for $70,000 that the MAC (Managed Assigned Counsel) declined to approve because it was submitted outside the MAC's 90-day window at the time. The matter went to appeal, and Judge Estevez in the 9th Administrative Judicial Region set a fee the court was asked to authorize.
"Judge Estevez is the one who determined the amount that you wanted to pay him," Wilson said. Commissioners discussed whether the attorney would accept the payment and whether partial payment was an option; staff said they had attempted contact but had not received a response. Commissioner (speaker 4) moved to make payment of $27,032.25 as ordered; the motion passed 5–0.
Staff noted the 90-day rule had been implemented after the case was resolved and that the appeal process under the administrative region resulted in an order to pay. The county will process the payment subject to the normal contracting/accounting steps and may revisit options if the attorney rejects the award.
