Berrien County Considering Public Defender Office

On July 16, 2015, Jonathan Sacks, Executive Director of the the Michigan Indigent Defense Commission, spoke with County Commissioners and stakeholders at the Berrien County Administration Center about the work of the MIDC including the proposed minimum standards for indigent defense.  The creation of a public defender office was one of the potential compliance plans discussed.  The Herald-Palladium reported on the meeting, in which Judge Gary Bruce and other local officials were recommending that Berrien County establish a public defender office to provide better legal representation for indigent clients.  Additional coverage of the meeting by the local ABC news affiliate indicated that the Commission has not made any decision on the matter, but noted that the current contracts for assigned counsel expire at the end of the year.

To read the full article in the Herald-Palladium, click on the link above or here.

To read the article by the ABC news affiliate, clink on the link above or here.