Supreme Court Receives Indigent Defense Study

7/9/2009 11:00:00 AM

The Nevada Supreme Court has received and filed a weighted caseload study of the indigent defense systems in Washoe and Clark Counties. The study was commissioned as part of the work of the Supreme Court's Indigent Defense Commission to examine how the justice system treats criminal defendants who cannot afford to hire their own attorneys. The Commission was created in 2007.

CLICK HERE to access the study.

Completion of the study was necessary before the Commission addressed whether to recommend the establishment of caseload standards for public defender offices in urban counties.  Public defenders in Nevada's urban areas have complained that they represent too many defendants and cannot adequately provide legal services.

Last year, the Supreme Court ordered that performance standards recommended by the Indigent Defense Commission be implemented, but delayed a ruling on the caseload standards.