1. The director shall:

(1) Direct and supervise the work of the deputy directors and other state public defender office personnel appointed pursuant to this chapter; and he or she and the deputy director or directors may participate in the trial and appeal of criminal actions at the request of the defender;

Terms Used In Missouri Laws 600.042

  • Appeal: A request made after a trial, asking another court (usually the court of appeals) to decide whether the trial was conducted properly. To make such a request is "to appeal" or "to take an appeal." One who appeals is called the appellant.
  • Assigned counsel: means private attorneys who are hired by the state public defender director to handle the cases of eligible persons from time to time on a case basis. See Missouri Laws 600.011
  • Commission: the public defender commission. See Missouri Laws 600.011
  • Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
  • Conviction: A judgement of guilt against a criminal defendant.
  • Deputy director: the attorney or attorneys appointed by the commission to assist the state public defender director and to temporarily exercise the duties and powers of the director in his or her absence or upon his or her resignation, pending the commission's appointment of a new director. See Missouri Laws 600.011
  • Director: the state public defender director. See Missouri Laws 600.011
  • Eligible person: a person who falls within the financial rules for legal representation at public expense prescribed by section 600. See Missouri Laws 600.011
  • person: may extend and be applied to bodies politic and corporate, and to partnerships and other unincorporated associations. See Missouri Laws 1.020
  • Probation: A sentencing alternative to imprisonment in which the court releases convicted defendants under supervision as long as certain conditions are observed.
  • Public defender: Represent defendants who can't afford an attorney in criminal matters.
  • State: when applied to any of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the territories, and the words "United States" includes such district and territories. See Missouri Laws 1.020
  • State public defender system: a system for providing defense services to every jurisdiction within the state by means of a centrally administered organization having a full-time staff. See Missouri Laws 600.011
  • Trial: A hearing that takes place when the defendant pleads "not guilty" and witnesses are required to come to court to give evidence.
  • United States: includes such district and territories. See Missouri Laws 1.020

(2) Submit to the commission, between August fifteenth and September fifteenth of each year, a report which shall include all pertinent data on the operation of the state public defender system, the costs, projected needs, and recommendations for statutory changes. Prior to October fifteenth of each year, the commission shall submit such report along with such recommendations, comments, conclusions, or other pertinent information it chooses to make to the chief justice, the governor, and the general assembly. Such reports shall be a public record, shall be maintained in the office of the state public defender, and shall be otherwise distributed as the commission shall direct;

(3) With the approval of the commission, establish such divisions, facilities and offices and select such professional, technical and other personnel, including investigators, as he deems reasonably necessary for the efficient operation and discharge of the duties of the state public defender system under this chapter;

(4) Administer and coordinate the operations of defender services and be responsible for the overall supervision of all personnel, offices, divisions and facilities of the state public defender system, except that the director shall have no authority to direct or control the legal defense provided by a defender to any person served by the state public defender system;

(5) Develop programs and administer activities to achieve the purposes of this chapter;

(6) Keep and maintain proper financial records with respect to the provision of all public defender services for use in the calculating of direct and indirect costs of any or all aspects of the operation of the state public defender system;

(7) Supervise the training of all public defenders and other personnel and establish such training courses as shall be appropriate;

(8) With approval of the commission, promulgate necessary rules, regulations and instructions consistent with this chapter defining the organization of the state public defender system and the responsibilities of division directors, district defenders, deputy district defenders, assistant public defenders and other personnel;

(9) With the approval of the commission, apply for and accept on behalf of the public defender system any funds which may be offered or which may become available from government grants, private gifts, donations or bequests or from any other source. Such moneys shall be deposited in the state general revenue fund;

(10) Contract for legal services with private attorneys on a case-by-case basis and with assigned counsel as the commission deems necessary considering the needs of the area, for fees approved and established by the commission;

(11) With the approval and on behalf of the commission, contract with private attorneys for the collection and enforcement of liens and other judgments owed to the state for services rendered by the state public defender system.

2. No rule or portion of a rule promulgated under the authority of this chapter shall become effective unless it has been promulgated pursuant to the provisions of section 536.024.

3. The director and defenders shall, within guidelines as established by the commission and as set forth in subsection 4 of this section, accept requests for legal services from eligible persons entitled to counsel under this chapter or otherwise so entitled under the constitution or laws of the United States or of the state of Missouri and provide such persons with legal services when, in the discretion of the director or the defenders, such provision of legal services is appropriate.

4. The director and defenders shall provide legal services to an eligible person:

(1) Who is detained or charged with a felony, including appeals from a conviction in such a case;

(2) Who is detained or charged with a misdemeanor which will probably result in confinement in the county jail upon conviction, including appeals from a conviction in such a case, unless the prosecuting or circuit attorney has waived a jail sentence;

(3) Who is charged with a violation of probation when it has been determined by a judge that the appointment of counsel is necessary to protect the person’s due process rights under section 559.036;

(4) Who has been taken into custody pursuant to section 632.489, including appeals from a determination that the person is a sexually violent predator and petitions for release, notwithstanding any provisions of law to the contrary;

(5) For whom the federal constitution or the state constitution requires the appointment of counsel; and

(6) Who is charged in a case in which he or she faces a loss or deprivation of liberty, and in which the federal or the state constitution or any law of this state requires the appointment of counsel; however, the director and the defenders shall not be required to provide legal services to persons charged with violations of county or municipal ordinances, or misdemeanor offenses except as provided in this section.

5. The director may:

(1) Delegate the legal representation of an eligible person to any member of the state bar of Missouri;

(2) Designate persons as representatives of the director for the purpose of making indigency determinations and assigning counsel.