Post by Logan on Jun 17, 2016 3:25:42 GMT -6
Lawmakers pass bill requiring NY pay for legal services for poor defendants
ALBANY, N.Y. -- The New York State Senate on Thursday passed a bill that requires the state to pay the full cost of providing lawyers to poor defendants accused of crimes, a burden that largely falls to counties now.
The counties paid $372 million of the $521 million spent in 2014 to provide attorneys to indigent defendants.
Under Sen. John DeFrancisco's bill, the full cost of providing legal counsel to indigent defendants would gradually shift from the counties to the state over seven years, beginning in 2017. New York only partially reimburses counties for this cost now.
"This bill would ensure that indigent defendants have counsel in criminal proceedings, while relieving the counties of an extremely costly mandate," DeFrancisco said.
Read more: www.syracuse.com/state/index.ssf/2016/06/lawmakers_pass_bill_requiring_ny_pay_for_legal_services_for_poor_defendants.html
ALBANY, N.Y. -- The New York State Senate on Thursday passed a bill that requires the state to pay the full cost of providing lawyers to poor defendants accused of crimes, a burden that largely falls to counties now.
The counties paid $372 million of the $521 million spent in 2014 to provide attorneys to indigent defendants.
Under Sen. John DeFrancisco's bill, the full cost of providing legal counsel to indigent defendants would gradually shift from the counties to the state over seven years, beginning in 2017. New York only partially reimburses counties for this cost now.
"This bill would ensure that indigent defendants have counsel in criminal proceedings, while relieving the counties of an extremely costly mandate," DeFrancisco said.
Read more: www.syracuse.com/state/index.ssf/2016/06/lawmakers_pass_bill_requiring_ny_pay_for_legal_services_for_poor_defendants.html