(a) The director may approve expenditures for attorneys, investigators, other personnel and nonpersonnel expenses of the public defender. Authorized employees of the public defender offices shall be entitled to annual and sick leave, insurance, retirement, and other state employee benefits, including cost-of-living raises, authorized by the Legislature for state employees.
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Terms Used In Alabama Code 15-12-45

  • Public defender: Represent defendants who can't afford an attorney in criminal matters.
  • state: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the several territories of the United States. See Alabama Code 1-1-1
  • Trial: A hearing that takes place when the defendant pleads "not guilty" and witnesses are required to come to court to give evidence.
(b) The operating expenses and staff salaries and benefits for the offices of the public defender shall be approved in advance by the director as part of an annual budget for the subject public defender’s office and, once the budget is approved, shall be paid by the state from funds appropriated annually from the Fair Trial Tax Fund or other funds appropriated by the Legislature for this purpose. The expenses shall include, but not be limited to, the salary, benefits, and expenses of all eligible employees and positions, training and education, travel, research, equipment, and supplies.
(c) Each public defender may employ assistant public defenders, investigators, and other staff, full time or part time, as authorized by the director. Assistants, investigators, and other staff shall be appointed by the public defender and serve at the pleasure of the public defender.
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