Idaho State Public Defense Commission

Carter will be missed in Idaho, but congratulations to Mark for being selected for this important position in Gem County!!!

Change comes to Public Defender office At the end of August a change is coming at the Gem County Public Defenders Office. Carter Winters is turning over the position of lead Public Defender for the county

We're looking for people to serve as Mock Jurors at Concordia Law School in Boise on August 9th, from 2-5pm. Comment if you're interested!!!

We’d like to recognize our brilliant staff on this State Employee Appreciation Day! They work hard and make the office a fun place to be.
Nichole Devaney
Brianne Harrison McCoy
Jared H. Ricks
Kay Jay Jennings
Aaron Freudenthal

Minutes after returning from our legislative budget hearing this morning, this article came across my desk.

Public Defense Commission says it's handing out grants; some counties say they're not enough... During the budget hearing this morning for the Idaho Public Defense Commission, Executive Director Kimberly Simmons told lawmakers that 43 of Idaho’s 44 counties applied for and received grants to boost their public defense efforts; training has been provided; standards have been promulgated, more...

Texas has an interesting structure for defending prison inmates accused of crimes.
"Our budget is controlled by an agency with goals diametrically opposed to our own,” wrote one lawyer who responded to the survey. “Our advocacy dies the death of a thousand budgetary cuts and fiscal considerations.” Another wrote, “SCFO leadership bends to the will of TDCJ and doesn’t want to rock the boat.”

https://www.texasobserver.org/new-report-finds-surprise-indigent-defense-attorneys-shouldnt-be-under-the-control-of-the-state-prison-system/

An interesting decision out of Minnesota:
"You’re not protected by the Fifth Amendment’s right against self-incrimination when a judge orders you to use your fingerprint to unlock your cellphone, the Minnesota Supreme Court ruled Wednesday."

https://blogs.mprnews.org/newscut/2018/01/mn-supreme-court-ok-to-demand-suspects-fingerprint-to-unlock-phone/

New bail system in Alaska:

State | Juneau Empire - Alaska's Capital City Online Newspaper Find the latest news, crime, weather, business and community information from juneauempire.com and the Juneau Empire.

The Fourth Amendment "case of the century:" Carpenter v. U.S.
https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2017/11/bipartisanship-supreme-court/547124/

Interesting story from North Carolina regarding the waiving of court fees:

No Mercy for Judges Who Show Mercy North Carolina’s plan to stymie judges who waive fines and fees.

How much money does an indigent defendant get to investigate his case? Ayestas v. Davis, argued yesterday, will address this issue.

Supreme Court case hinges on how much money indigent defendants should receive Attorneys for convicted killer say they need more money for evidence that may persuade a jury to withhold death penalty.