(A) Establishment. Pursuant to I.C. 33-40-7-1 et seq., the County Public Defender Board is hereby established to be in existence as of January 1, 2011.
(B) Board. The County Public Defender Board shall be controlled by a Board consisting of three members. The members of the Board of Commissioners of the county shall appoint one member of the Board, and the judges who exercise felony or juvenile jurisdiction in the county shall appoint by a majority vote the other two members of the Board. Members of the Board appointed by the judges may not be from the same political party and must be persons who have demonstrated an interest in high quality legal representation for indigent persons. A Board member may not be a city, town or county attorney, a law enforcement officer, a judge or a court employee. Each member of the Board shall serve a three-year term beginning on the date of the member’s appointment. The members of the Board shall appoint one member to serve as Chairperson of the Board.
(C) Comprehensive Plan. The County Public Defender Board shall prepare a Comprehensive Plan under I.C. 33-40-7-5 that includes the method of providing legal defense services to indigent persons.
(D) Governing provisions. The terms and provisions of I.C. 33-40-7-1 et seq., as amended from time to time, shall govern the County Public Defender Board.
(E) Financial administration. The County Treasurer and County Auditor are hereby appointed as the fiscal agents for and are hereby authorized to administer the funds of the County Public Defender Board.
(F) Termination. The Board of Commissioners of the county may terminate the County Public Defender Board by giving written notice to the judges described in division (B) above at least 90 days in advance of the termination date.
(G) Effective date. This section shall take effect upon its date of adoption.
(Ord. 10-399, passed 12-6-2010)