6/18/1986 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

MARTIN COUNTY OFFICE: IMAIN OFFICE) SUITE 2 15 . COURTHOUSE ANNEX P O. BOX 2314 STUART. FLORIDA 33495.2314 (3051283.6760 EXT. 380 LAW OFFICES OF ELTON H. SCHWARZ PUBLIC DEFENDER NINETEENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT OF FLORIDA ROBIN W. FRIERSON DEPUTY PUBLIC DEFENDER ELIZABETH M. WILKINSON BUSINESS MANAGER June 17, 1986 DIRECT LINES TO MAIN OFFICE: 1305, 287-2966 1 STUART I 1305 1 464.8564 I FORT PIERCE) • 3051 562.1515 - VERO BEACH) REPLY TO: JUN 19ss - ;! ® Honorable C. Pfeiffer Trowbridge co doANOOFCOUNTY Chief Judge, 19th Judicial Circuit u` O&11MISSIONERS Martin County Court House Stuart, FL 33494 Re Rendition of Public Defender Services within the 19th Judicial Circuit Dear Judge Trowbridge: It is with considerable reluctance that I am forced to advise the court that my office will, as of July 1, 1986, be unable to provide Assistant Public Defenders to represent indigents within Martin, St. Lucie, and Indian River County who are charged with misdemeanor or juvenile offenses within these three counties. As Public Defender for the 19th Judicial Circuit, it is incumbent upon me to operate this office within the number of positions.au- thorized by the legislature; the funds provided by them in the an- nual appropriations act; and, the maximum annual salary rate au- thorized by law. For Fiscal Year 1986-87, (commencing July 1, 1986) this figure is set at 38 authorized positions and $1,074,040 for salaries and benefits, over 88 percent of our total appropria- tion for the year. Although we have not yet received our salary rate, I do not anticipate that it will permit employment of more than 14 Assistant Public Defenders. I am addressing this letter to you, as Chief Judge of this Circuit, by virtue of your author- ity under Rule 2.050(b)(6), Fla. R. Jud. Admin., although I am not requesting any judicial action on your part at this time. By copy of this letter, I am advising all of the judges and county commissions involved with an explanation as to the necessity for this action as well as suggestions as to potential alternatives. I have attached a statistical report reflecting the relative case load changes within each of the four counties of this Circuit as well as the Circuit as a whole for Calendar Years 1983, 1984, 1985, and estimates for 1986, together with actual figures for the first four months of 1986 as compared to the first four months of 1985. Although our misdemeanor case load has almost doubled since 1983, our felony case load has almost tripled during this Period of time. In spite of these caseload increases, our authorized po- sitions have only increased from 37 during Fiscal Year 1982-83 to 38 now authorized for Fiscal Year 1986-87. Our authorized Positions and appropriation for salaries and benefits for the past five years are as follows: Salaries & Benefits Auth. Pos. Appropriated 1982-83 37 849,694 1983-84 34 81 7, 748 1984-85 34 920,394 1985-86 36 91 8, 01 8 1986-87 38 1,074,040 JUN 18 1996 59 BOOK 6 rr �1 L J