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Office of the Public Defender

Panel Work at OPD

At times, our agency receive cases where conflicts of interest are found. In these instances, we turn to panel attorneys, social workers, and investigators in order to provide that client with proper representation.

Attorneys:

When a conflict arises the District Public Defender (DPD) or Division Chief (DC) selects an attorney from the Panel list and refers the case to that attorney. The Panel Attorney may accept or reject the case. Once a Panel Attorney accepts a case, the case file along with the necessary paperwork will be forwarded to the attorney. The client is contacted and a meeting between the Panel Attorney and the client is arranged.

After a matter is concluded, the DPD or DC verifies the accuracy of the work done on the case and Office of the Public Defender Senior Administration reviews the documents prior to final approval for payment.

  • An Attorney wishing to serve as an OPD Panel Attorney must fill out an application. 
  • If accepted to a panel list, the attorney is required to sign a Memorandum of Understanding that describes billing requirements and procedures.
  • OPD currently pays the following rates:
    • $60/hour for most cases
    • $75/hour for cases in which a life sentence is a possible penalty. This includes appellate and post conviction cases.
  • Attorney's must complete 12 CLE (Continuous Legal Education) hours per year.

Volunteer Opportunities