T - Voice For The Defense Online

B"'nnmg UI Janualy of next year, the Gumnor dl appoint a TaskForce on Indigent Defense. ThisTask Force will be cl~a~ged with implementing the key feah~tes of the Pair Defense Act (Senate Bill71, sponsored md stnded by Scnator Ro&q Ellis. This Act is meant to improve the plight of !heindigent defendmt in crio~ind comts t1~11gI1out Tesas, in pat by imprmhg he quality of defense com~sel.This article is ruenut to clarifyfor defense cot~nsel the baits of the Act.CAPClOLCORNERFee Schedules, Appeals from Refused Bills, Compensation andReimbursementFee scbed~des for co1111-appointedk~e~s must now i~~cl~~de '"reasonable and necmay mpei'l~ead cosfsand the a\dvnilnbiliiof qualified auometx wUing to accept the stated ~ates." If the fee schedule is so low tlwtahqer coukdnot mdntain a law ofice, tl~en tl~efwsckduleis ~urmonabfe. Fee scheddesmust slate leasonablcBaed rates or minim~un md maxi~mm~ ho~~rly ~ntes. Momeys nre also entitled to a fonn "to itemizethe types of sewices peifom~ed," which is necessary for payment. locd associations should prepare loha\-e a voice in creating the fo~m and indude work ha migl~t ordimarlly esape the attenIion of the court,suc11 as witness inteniews, laborious discowy procedures, trips to the jail, uvifhgi tl~e p~usecutor's office,etcetem Tl~e more that judges understand the tinlccansomiug uork we perform outside the courtroom, thegrater the appreciation for the role of the crimi~~al defense attorney in ttte justice system.Appellate coua-appointed lawje~sl~dl now be compensated for prepamtion a ~d preselitatio~l of oldargunlent as well as prepantion of a niotion for rellcmn~g, senkes for nhich !hey were previo~~sly not entitledto mnrpensation."Reimbursement of expenses incurred far purposes of investigation or expert testimony m;ly be pdddirectly to a plimte inwstigator lice~~sod mder Chapter 1702, Occqxitio~ls Code, or to an expert wihrcss inthe manner designated b), appointd com~sel and app~uwd by the court." Att01ne)s dso "shshall be realbursedfor reasonable and necessqmpenm, including cqenses for inistig#tiol~ md for mental k~enltl~ andotl~er experts. Eyienss i~~c~med with prior court 8pp1uwJ sl~shall be reimbuned ui tl~e sane mmcr providedfor capital ms:' SceTex Code Crim. Pro. ; u~ 26.052(0, (&, and (11).For the Grst time, pu may now appd a jndge's decision to cut yo~u voud~er or otl~e~wise pay yo11 1%than wl~alyoo reasonably billed for your work.If ll~e judge disapprows U I requested ~ amount of payment, the ju@ sshall make wtinen findirlgsstating the mount of payment 111at the judge appmm and each reas011 for approving a1mount different J?om the requested amount An attorney wl~osc request for payncnt is &sapprovedmay appeal the disapproval by filing amtion with the presiding judge of the ad&~istrativej~ulkcid regiai~ On the h g ofa motiou, d~eprestdingjudge of the adnlidstmtiw judicialregion shall ~eview the disapproml of papcnt and deternih~e the appropriate anlount ofpa)ment. I11 itviewing d~e disappovd, the pl.esi&~g judge of the ;Idminishntive j~ldicialregiolr may cofld~~ct a headng. Not later tl~an the 45th day after the date an application farof a fee is submitted under this article, the commissioners court shdl pay to theappomted coumel the amon~t that is approved by the presiding judge of the &dmhiistiativej~~dicial region and hat is in accordance with the fee schedule far d18t county.If yon ha\re submitted a reasonable bill, but the trid judge cuts it, thon pou s11011ld appeal the judge'sdisapprovd each ant1 every time it happens. Iawye's may be ren~oved from the appoi~itn~ent list by amajority of the crhuind court judges "if, aftera haring, it 1s S~IOWII that the attorney submitted a clain~ forlegd senices 1101 performed $the attorney."8 VOICE FOR THE DEWNSE UJWVLTCOI.A.COM SEPTEMBER SOOT