Montgomery Co. Opens First-Ever Public Defenders Office
What happens to defendants who need an attorney in Montgomery County, but can’t afford one? There’s a new service the county has to solve that problem.
After 72 hours of someone’s arrest, that person is presented with several rights, including having an attorney represent them. And for those who can’t afford one — now they can get that service for free from the public defenders office.
Justine Fenderson is having a family member’s theft of property case heard through the courts. She says she wanted attorney representation, but the cost was too much. “I had actually had an attorney. But during that time I actually wasn’t able to afford the actual attorney,” said Fenderson.
That’s when the Montgomery County Public Defenders Office came in. It’s the first of it’s kind in the River Region — ever. It’s made up of a team of lawyers, investigators and social workers who are appointed by the court to the defender if they cannot afford to pay an attorney. The Public Defenders Office Services are free.
“An attorney is hard. You’re looking anywhere from $1,500 to $50,000, $60,000 for a case when they’re actually willing to take it on pro bono. I mean, basically for free,” said Fenderson.
But they can only see new criminal cases. “What it will also do is provide an improvement in the criminal justice system by having check and balances in office that is equipped with resources, investigators, social workers, individuals outside of the criminal justice process,” Said Chief Public Defender, Aliya McKee.
McKee says the team will also help with the backlog of drug cases. Right now, the county has about 1,000 drug cases on backlog.
“As a result of that backlog, the existence of the public defenders office will be able to assist not only the clients in particular, but the court with that backlog. In a sense that once we’re appointed to represent an indigent client, we can investigate the case,” Said McKee.
Today was the first day the office was open. Attorneys spent the day overseeing cases in court and gathering up cases now that need attorney. Their temporary location is on South Perry Street.
It will move next to the Montgomery County Courthouse on Lawrence Street by the end of March. The state funded $2 million dollars of the Public Defenders Office. The county owns the new building it’s moving to, but the renovations will cost about 100-thousand dollars.
