6.4 Indigent Counsel Agreement
CITY OF SALINA
REQUEST FOR CITY COMMISSION ACTION
DATE
3/20/06
TIME
4:00 P.M.
AGENDA SECTION:
NO.
6
ORIGINATING DEPARTMENT:
APPROVED FOR
AGENDA:
CITY MANAGER
ITEM
NO.
4
BY: Jason A. Gage, City Manager
BY:
Item:
Resolution No. 06-6261, authorizing the City Manager to execute an agreement with Kansas
Legal Services to provide indigent counsel services for the Salina Municipal Court.
Backqround:
The Salina Municipal Court is obligated by law to provide legal defense counsel for those
individuals who cannot afford their own attorney. Specifically, the law requires the Court to
provide counsel for indigent defendants when the possibility exists that the defendant could be
incarcerated if found guilty. Since 2003, the Court has used a rotational legal panel rather than
a single attorney. This system is designed to spread out the total legal hours; thus providing
more scheduling flexibility for attorneys and increasing overall interest in providing indigent
services to the City. Currently, the monthly panel cost is $4,500, split equally among three
panel members through a one-year agreement. Additional fees are to be paid for cases
appealed to District Court or beyond.
Rene Young, one of our indigent counsel attorneys has recently been appointed to the position
of District Court Judge, leaving a vacancy on our panel. After completing an open invitation
selection process, Staff is recommending that Kansas Legal Services, represented by Candace
Bridgess, be appointed as a member of our indigent counsel panel. Ms. Bridgess has a law
degree from the University of Utah College of Law and has solid public defense experience.
Staff believes the panel system has been a very effective method to provide indigent counsel
services. This is the second full year the total amount paid for this service has been $54,000.
Fiscal Note:
The 2006 Municipal Court budget includes adequate funding for the contract as proposed.
Recommendation:
Approve Resolution No. 06-6261, authorizing the City Manager to execute an agreement with
Kansas Legal Services to provide indigent counsel services for the Salina Municipal Court.
Attachments: Agreement
Resolution No. 06-6261