Public defender program opens to help the poor
9 months ago | 507 views | 2 
| 1 
| 
| 
| 1 | |
The program officially began operations earlier this month and is temporarily housed at TRLA’s Sinton branch office. Headed by veteran TRLA attorney Sita Stone, the program will provide free legal services to low income clients facing criminal charges. TRLA already provides low income residents with free legal services regarding civil legal matters such as child custody, divorce, housing and employment.
According to TRLA Executive Director David Hall, “Money shouldn’t be required to have justice. By opening this new program, Texas RioGrande Legal Aid is going to ensure that local residents have access to the best attorneys, regardless of their income.”
The new public defender program is funded with the support of the Bee County Commissioners Court and the Texas Task Force on Indigent Defense. TRLA estimates that it will help more than 1,500 low income clients with their criminal matters every year in Bee County alone. The program is the third public defender office opened by TRLA in the last four years.
Hall added, “In these tough economic times, there is nothing more important than ensuring legal rights for the poor. With the support of Bee County, TRLA is going to ensure that low income Texans continue to have access to justice.”
Established in 1970, TRLA is a nonprofit organization that provides free legal services to low income and disadvantaged clients in a 68-county service area. TRLA’s mission is to promote the dignity, self-sufficiency, safety and stability of low income Texas residents by providing high-quality legal assistance and related educational services. For more information on Texas RioGrande Legal Aid Inc., visit www.trla.org.
post a comment
comments (2)
« Lawyer wrote on Wednesday, May 20 at 03:48 PM »
Under the old system, the Defendants (who are convicted) were supposed to pay attorney's fees as part of their court costs. Under this system, the State Grant and Bee, Live Oak, & McMullin counties share expenses. I believe that a grant will pay 80% the first year, then 60% the next, and then 30% the third year; the counties share the corresponding amount. The problem is that cases will start backing up as the vastly understaffed public defenders are overwelmed with work, some of the defendants will still get regular lawyers appointed to them (if there are co-defendants), more defendants will file appeals (with regular lawyers appointed) because they won't like the inattention of the over-worked Public Defenders, and no one will be happy except the head-knockers at the Rio Grande Rural Aide who will suck on the bureaucratic teat until the commissioners from the three counties realize "ain't nothing free." Hope I'm wrong, but I think I'll be proven right.
« Leftblank wrote on Friday, May 08 at 03:49 PM »
No one is concerned that the county has money to defend the criminals, but not to help prosecute them? I truly hope that the citizens of Bee County are paying attention.