Montana Code 47-1-215. Regional offices — deputy public defenders — office space
47-1-215. Regional offices — deputy public defenders — office space. (1) The public defender division administrator shall hire, assign, and supervise a deputy public defender to manage and supervise each regional office established pursuant to 47-1-104(2).
Terms Used In Montana Code 47-1-215
- Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
- Court: means the supreme court, a district court, a youth court, a justice's court, a municipal court, or a city court. See Montana Code 47-1-103
- Director: means the director of the office of state public defender hired by the director of the department of administration as provided in 2-15-1029. See Montana Code 47-1-103
- Obligation: An order placed, contract awarded, service received, or similar transaction during a given period that will require payments during the same or a future period.
- Office: means the office of state public defender established in 2-15-1029. See Montana Code 47-1-103
- Public defender: Represent defendants who can't afford an attorney in criminal matters.
- Public defender: means an attorney employed by or under contract with the office and assigned to provide legal counsel to a person under the provisions of this chapter, including attorneys employed by or under contract with the appellate defender division and the conflict defender division. See Montana Code 47-1-103
- State: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the territories. See Montana Code 1-1-201
(2)Subject to approval by the public defender division administrator, each deputy public defender shall:
(a)manage and supervise all public defender services provided within the deputy public defender’s assigned region;
(b)establish protocols so that when a court orders the assignment of counsel, the assignment is made promptly to an appropriate public defender and so that a public defender is immediately available when necessary;
(c)ensure that public defender assignments within the region comply with the provisions of 47-1-202(1)(c);
(d)hire and supervise the work of regional office personnel as authorized by the public defender division administrator;
(e)coordinate with the contract manager provided for in 47-1-121 to contract for services as authorized by the public defender division administrator according to the strategic plan approved by the director;
(f)keep a record of public defender and associated services and expenses in the region and submit the records to the public defender division administrator as requested;
(g)implement the standards and procedures established by the director and the public defender division administrator for the region;
(h)maintain a minimum client caseload as determined by the public defender division administrator; and
(i)perform all other duties as assigned by the public defender division administrator.
(3)Expenses for office space required for regional offices, including rent, utilities, and maintenance, must be paid by the office of state public defender and may not be considered a county or city obligation.