"Calcasieu Public Defenders withdrawing from 400 cases"

KPLCtv.com: "Well, today the Calcasieu Public Defenders Office announced it must cut back services due to budget shortfalls and that the office will withdraw as counsel for about 400 felony cases it's now appointed to handle. A spokesman says they will work with the judges to assign new attorneys from the private bar."

Comments

[Monroe Freedman]

The report indicates that 15 lawyers, with limited support staff, handle 6,000 cases a year. That's 400 cases per lawyer. And now they're finally balking over 400 cases, bringing the caseload per lawyer to 373. What a farce!

[Miriam Dotton]

Apparently, the $10 hike in court fees was supposed to be $20, and had Act 578 passed at that rate, the budget for the public defender's office would have been balanced. No in order to prevent violating the 6th Amendment Rights of many of these defendants, attorneys from the private bar are going to have to work without compensation. That's not fair to the lawyers or the defendants.