Terms Used In Missouri Laws 600.062

  • Assistant public defender: a staff attorney within a particular public defender office responsible for the handling of cases of eligible persons. See Missouri Laws 600.011
  • Commission: the public defender commission. See Missouri Laws 600.011
  • Deputy district defender: an attorney who assists the district defender in the management and supervision of a public defender district office and performs the duty of the district defender in his or her absence. See Missouri Laws 600.011
  • Director: the state public defender director. See Missouri Laws 600.011
  • District defender: the managing attorney in charge of a public defender district office. See Missouri Laws 600.011
  • Division director: an employee responsible for the supervision and management of multiple district offices or areas of statewide responsibility as assigned by the director, or both. See Missouri Laws 600.011
  • Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
  • Public defender: Represent defendants who can't afford an attorney in criminal matters.

Notwithstanding the provisions of sections 600.017 and 600.042 to the contrary, neither the director nor the commission shall have the authority to limit the availability of a district office or any division director, district defender, deputy district defender, or assistant public defender to accept cases based on a determination that the office has exceeded a caseload standard. The director, commission, any division director, district defender, deputy district defender, or assistant public defender may not refuse to provide representation required under this chapter without prior approval from a court of competent jurisdiction.