Public defense director warns state underfunding will force hiring and operational changes

County finance staff opened a budget review for the Office of Public Defense (OPD) and reported that intergovernmental revenue budgeted near $296,000 for 2025 produced about $248,000 in receipts, with adjustments noted for internal accounting changes.

Ian, representing OPD, told the board the office faces ongoing underfunding from the state. He said the recent Supreme Court change that shortened the required time a defendant must appear before a judge to three days increases pressure on counties to hire and staff in advance of caseload changes. “The lawsuit is to fund what they initially should been funding in the first place,” Ian said, describing the county’s view that the state has long underfunded public defense costs.

Ian described operational steps under consideration: hiring additional attorneys, reusing a previous intern position that is expected to return upon graduation, and requesting a possible janitorial budget line for basic office upkeep if current arrangements are untenable. He also said staff had stabilized some staffing issues in recent years but anticipate retirements and turnover requiring recruitment and reclassification decisions.

Commissioners asked how much reimbursement comes from the state and discussed broader statewide trends; staff said current county receipts amount to a small percentage of total OPD cost and that many counties are pressing the state for a larger share of funding. County staff agreed to provide follow‑up budget detail and to return with specific requests if new funding or budget amendments are needed.

No formal action was taken at the workshop; commissioners and staff agreed to continue reviewing options and to bring any formal proposals back to the full board.