Lincoln County Commission weighs creation of public defender’s office
Workforce, collaboration with Minnehaha County remain unanswered questions
The Lincoln County Commission is considering a major shift in how it provides legal counsel for residents who cannot afford an attorney.
Commissioners reviewed a proposal Tuesday to establish the county’s first public defender’s office.
The move comes as the county faces rising costs and caseloads under its current system, which contracts with private attorneys to represent indigent defendants. South Dakota remains the only state that does not provide direct state funding for indigent defense, though lawmakers recently allocated $3 million to reimburse counties – covering just 12 percent of total costs statewide.
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