In an effort to improve efficiency and reduce administrative
costs, county supervisors unanimously approved a restructured
system for providing public legal defense.
In an effort to improve efficiency and reduce administrative costs, county supervisors unanimously approved a restructured system for providing public legal defense.
The new plan brings all public defender services in-house, eliminating contracted services with outside firms. The Legal Aid Society, the non-profit firm Santa Clara County has operated with for 11 years, will not have its contract renewed for the next fiscal year.
Instead, a greater caseload will be given to the Alternate Defender Office and a newly created unit within the Office of the County Counsel that is still to be named.
Most public defense in felony and misdemeanor cases will still be handled by the Public Defender Office.
Only a fraction of the county’s caseload was handled by the non-profit organization. The Legal Aid Society handled cases in which the Public Defender Office and the Alternate Defender Office have declared a conflict.
These contract changes for the county are set to take effect on July 1, the beginning of the next fiscal year.
