Supreme Court appoints panel to review indigent defense
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NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – The Tennessee Supreme Court has appointed a task force to review the state’s representation of defendants who are unable to afford hiring their own lawyers.
Dean of Nashville School of Law and retired Tennessee Supreme Court Justice William Koch has been appointed to chair the Indigent Representation Task Force.
According to the court, the charge of the task force is to guarantee the system is addressing the needs of its recipients as well as benefiting the taxpayers of Tennessee.
The judicial system budget currently has about $36 million for indigent defense. That includes about $19 million for criminal representation and about $12.5 million for representation of children.
The task force’s first meeting is 9:30 a.m. on Nov. 6 in Legislative Plaza Room LP12.
