The Indiana Public Defender Commission (the Commission) is currently accepting nominations for an appointment to the Clinton County Public Defender Board.
“When citizens are accused of a crime and cannot afford an attorney, both the Indiana and United States Constitutions require that they are entitled to an appointed attorney” stated Commission Chair Mark W. Rutherford, “In Clinton County, that system is managed by the Public Defender Board, and citizens are encouraged to take an active involvement in that board.”
Indiana statute states that the Clinton County Public Defender Board is composed of three members: one appointed by the County Commissioners, one appointed by the County Judiciary, and one appointed by the Commission. The Commission’s appointee must be a resident of Clinton County.
Based on statute, appointees must be “persons who have demonstrated an interest in high-quality legal representation for indigent persons.” The board meets at least quarterly and has oversight responsibilities for the delivery of public defense services in Clinton County. Individuals are appointed for a three-year term.
Nominations are due September 8. Appointments will be made by the Commission at the September 22 Commission Meeting, which is open to the public.
Clinton County has been participating since 2018 in the Commission’s reimbursement program in exchange for following standards for the delivery of public defense services. The county has received approximately a $250,000 since that time.
To submit your interest, please email[email protected] and a member of the Commission staff will contact you. See the Commission’s website (https://www.in.gov/publicdefender/)for further information. Follow the Commission on Twitter at@IndianaPDCom.