Title
Resolution to Approve a Professional Legal Services Agreement with Washtenaw County for Public Defender Services ($206,305)
Memorandum
This resolution seeks Council approval for a Professional Legal Services Agreement with Washtenaw County in the amount of $206,305 to provide legal representation to indigent persons charged with misdemeanor offenses, who appear in the 15th Judicial District Court.
Budget/Fiscal Impact: The City's Local Share amount of $206,305 is budgeted in the 15th Judicial District Court's FY21 budget.
The 15th Judicial District Court is required by law to provide for attorneys to represent indigent defendants when potential sanctions, including sanctions for violations of court orders, upon conviction may include incarceration. The Washtenaw County Public Defender's Office has experience providing these services.
The Michigan Indigent Defense Commission (MIDC) was created by legislation in 2013 (MCL ?780.991) and charged with identifying and encouraging best practices for delivering the effective assistance of counsel to all indigent adults in this state consistent with the safeguards of the United States constitution, the state constitution of 1963, and with the Michigan Indigent Defense Commission Act.
MIDC requires that all indigent defense delivery systems in Michigan must submit compliance plans and cost projections for all the standards approved by the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs. In grant FY2021, the City joined with Washtenaw County and Ypsilanti Township under one compliance plan. The County is the grantee and is administering the plan on behalf of the partners.
The County, Ypsilanti Twp. and the City are each required to maintain their local indigent defense funding, an amount referred to as the "Local Share." The local share amount for the City of Ann Arbor for FY21 is $206,305. Washtenaw County will invoice the 15th District Court for the City's Local Share amount.
A system's duty of compliance w...
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