TO: | Honorable Jeff Wentworth, Chair, Senate Committee on Jurisprudence |
FROM: | John S. O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board |
IN RE: | SB159 by Wentworth (Relating to a local public defender's office that represents indigent defendants in criminal cases.), As Introduced |
The bill would amend the Code of Criminal Procedure regarding creation and operations of a county public defender's office that represents indigent defendants in criminal cases. The bill would also authorize a commissioners court upon written approval of a judge of a county court, statutory county court, or district court trying cases under Title 3, Family Code (Juvenile Justice Code) to create or contract for a public defender's office. Under current statute, designation of a public defender applies to courts trying criminal cases.
In addition, the bill would authorize a judge to impose as a condition of community supervision, that a defendant represented by an attorney with the public defender's office to reimburse the county for the attorney's services.
Source Agencies: | 212 Office of Court Administration, Texas Judicial Council
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LBB Staff: | JOB, MN, DB
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