Maverick County to apply for Indigent Defense Fund Grant
By: Jose G. Landa, Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc., Copyright 2015
Maverick County Commissioners Court is scheduled to approve a resolution in favor of applying to the 2015 Indigent Defense Fund Grant Program from the State of Texas to assist Maverick County provide financial and technical support and services for indigents charged with criminal cases and who cannot afford to hire an attorney to represent them at their meeting to be held on Tuesday November 24, 2015.
American constitutional law requires that all persons accused of a criminal charge are entitled to have an attorney appointed to represent them if they cannot afford to hire one. Defendants in Maverick County Court and the 293rd and 365th Judicial District Courts who cannot afford to hire an own attorney are appointed an attorney to represent them and these legal defense fees are paid through the Indigent Defense Fund and Maverick County taxes.
The Indigent Defense Grant Program is made available through provisions that were set in place by the Fair Defense Act, 77th Regular Session of the Texas Legislature.
Under the provisions of the Fair Defense Act, 77th Regular Session, counties are eligible to receive grants from the Texas Indigent Defense Commission to provide improvements to the indigent defense services in the county. This grant program will assist the county in the implementation of the provisions of the Fair Defense Act and the improvements to the indigent defense services in the county.
The mission of Indigent Defense is to improve the delivery of indigent defense services through fiscal assistance, accountability and professional support to local judicial and county officials, and to promote justice and fairness to all indigent persons accused of criminal conduct, including juvenile respondents, as provided by the laws and constitutions of the United States and Texas.
The 77th Texas Legislature, through the passage of the Fair Defense Act, established the blueprint for meaningful interaction between State and local government through the creation of the first state body to administer statewide appropriations and policies. In exchange for State fiscal assistance, the local judiciary is required to report its plan for delivering indigent defense services.
Maverick County Judge David R. Saucedo is the designated Maverick County Officer to apply, administer, and account for these Indigent Defense Funds from the State of Texas.
