Bill Summaries: S790 (2015-2016 Session)

Tracking:
  • Summary date: Apr 28 2016 - View summary

    Directs the Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC), in conjunction with the Office of Indigent Defense Services and the chief district court judges and judicial bars of selected judicial districts, to establish and implement a pilot project to establish a uniform fee schedule for the payment of attorney fees for legal representation of indigent persons in district court (pilot project). 

    Directs the AOC to select one or more counties in at least six judicial districts in which to implement the pilot project, where two counties must have small case-loads in district court, two counties must have medium case-loads in district court, and two counties must have large case-loads in district court.  Provides that any judicial district selected for the pilot project must participate, but District 10, District 18, and District 26 may not be selected as sites.

    Provides criteria the AOC should consider and address when developing the fee schedule. 

    Requires the AOC to (1) select the counties in which to implement the pilot project by January 1, 2017, and (2) complete the development of the fee schedule for the pilot project by March 1, 2017.  Requires the AOC, the Office of Indigent Defense Services, and the selected judicial districts to begin implementation of the project within district court of each judicial district by April 1, 2017.

    Directs the AOC to (1) report by May 1, 2017, to the chairs of the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on Justice and Public Safety on the status of the six selected judicial districts and the fee schedule developed; (2) report on the results of the pilot project to the chairs of the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on Justice and Public Safety by March 15, 2018; and (3) continue to monitor the pilot project and report by March 15 and every two years thereafter on its findings and recommendations to the chairs of the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on Justice and Public Safety.