Action 8.
Regular Board of Supervisors Meeting
Indigent Defense
- Meeting Date:
- 06/20/2023
- Title:
- Contract for Katsarelis Law
- Submitted By:
- Sharon Gilman, Board of Supervisors
- Department:
- Board of Supervisors
Presentation:
No A/V Presentation
Recommendation:
Approve
Document Signatures:
BOS Signature Required
# of ORIGINALS
Submitted for Signature:
Submitted for Signature:
0
NAME
of PRESENTER:
of PRESENTER:
Richard Karwaczka
TITLE
of PRESENTER:
of PRESENTER:
County Administrator
Docket Number (If applicable):
Mandated Function?:
Local Mandate or Policy
Source of Mandate
or Basis for Support?:
or Basis for Support?:
Information
Agenda Item Text:
Approve Professional Services Agreement between Katsarelis Law, PLLC and Cochise County for legal services and expertise necessary in order to perform Early Resolution Court Cases (ERC) for the Indigent Defense Office to the satisfaction of the County at a cost of $150,000 per year, effective July 1, 2023, through June 30, 2024.
Background:
The Indigent Defense Office assigns contract attorneys to defendents when none of the three county defense offices are able to take the case. In particular, ERC cases are proving increasingly difficult to assign due to the large caseload that the defense offices have for higher cost felony cases. This contract is intended to alleviate caseload pressure on the system and provide additional support to the defense offices without the cost of hiring an additional attorney (with benefits) to the county system.
Department's Next Steps (if approved):
Assign cases to Kasarelis Law according to office procedures.
Impact of NOT Approving/Alternatives:
The ERC caseload will continue to overburden county defense offices, resulting in high cost felony cases going to contract attorneys at a higher rate.
To BOS Staff: Document Disposition/Follow-Up:
Copy to Procurement and IDC.