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Tuesday, January 17, 2006
Ind. Courts - Allen County Public Defender’s Office adds attorney
The Fort Wayne Journal Gazette reports today, in a story by Sara Eaton:
An attorney position has been added to the Allen County Public Defender’s Office to help ease the caseload in misdemeanor court, where thousands of cases are filed annually.The new position increases the number of public defenders from two to three in Allen Superior Court’s Misdemeanor and Traffic Division, which handles non-violent traffic offenses and minor crimes, including shoplifting, public intoxication and disorderly conduct.
Public defenders are appointed by the court to represent criminal defendants who can’t afford to hire a private attorney.
Chief Public Defender Charles Leonard said his office has maintained two attorneys in misdemeanor court for years but a third is needed because of the caseload. Leonard said the change will spread the caseload among three attorneys rather than two.
It wasn’t spurred by any new requirements or dramatic changes in the misdemeanor caseload, he said.
In creating the additional position, Leonard hired two new attorneys. Both will be misdemeanor public defenders, he said. One will fill the new position and one will replace Zachary Witte, who will move from misdemeanor court to the felony division. * * *
Each will earn $24,000 and handle hundreds of cases annually, Leonard said.
Posted by Marcia Oddi on January 17, 2006 08:26 AM
Posted to Indiana Courts