Indigent May Get More Legal Help
The Tennessee Supreme Court is considering having lawyers bid on representing the poor.
As the demand for taxpayer funded representation burgeons, the court is considering a draft amendment to its court rules to allow the Administrative Office of the Courts to solicit bids to represent indigent persons for a fixed fee, according to The Tennessean
While the aim is to contain costs, the result could be compromised quality of representation, according to Laura Dykes, a past president of the Tennessee Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.
Money from the indigent defense fund is paid to private attorneys who are appointed by judges to represent defendants. The attorneys are appointed when a public defender isn’t available or eligible.
