When the state biennial budget is approved, which could be Wednesday, Allen County will be feet to the ground to figure out a solution to their public defender shortage.
Commissioners and Allen County Public Defender Stephen Chamberlain meeting to discuss how to proceed with the restructuring of court-appointed counsel. The governor has included additional money to reimburse county public defenders for their services. Both the Senate and the House are on the same page with the governor's proposal and Allen County is looking to create a public defender's office.
"So really right now what commissioners tasked me to do is get actual numbers and then kind of compare that to where reimbursement's going to be and you know we're going to have to see what, if it's still going to be affordable," explained Stephen Chamberlain, Allen County Public Defender.
Chamberlain says it costs around 800 to 900-thousand dollars annually to provide indigent defense. The state currently reimbursing 45% of that cost. The budget has up to 70% reimbursement in 2020 and 90% in 2021.
