Council endorses statewide appellate managed assigned counsel program and funding tied to quality

The council adopted the Family Representation Committee’s proposal urging the Legislature to create and fund a statewide appellate managed assigned counsel (MAC) program housed with the Office of Court Administration (OCA), intended to standardize appellate appointments and improve both quality and access in termination‑of‑parental‑rights appeals. Justice Boyd presented the recommendations, explaining the MAC would centralize appellate assignments and standardize rates statewide so attorneys in high‑supply areas could serve underserved counties.

The committee highlighted a funding gap: counties in aggregate spent about $64,000,000 on representation over five years, while a Texas A&M Research Policy Institute estimate suggests an appropriate level would be approximately $124,000,000. Council members discussed using grants tied to quality metrics and transparency conditions; the council then voted to adopt the recommendations for legislative consideration.

Why it matters: Committee members framed the MAC as a comparatively efficient appellate solution that could improve representation quality and reduce county‑by‑county disparities in pay and availability. The council’s action sends the idea to the Legislature with a recommendation that any state funding be conditioned on measurable quality improvements and statutory compliance.