(A) When the County provides defense counsel legal representation to multiple indigent criminal defendants with divergent interests involved in a single case, the law requires that each criminal defendant has a right to conflict-free, separate and independent legal representation. Consistent with applicable law, the Department shall be organized into separate offices to include the following offices within the Department: primary public defender, alternate public defender, multiple conflicts, assigned counsel, and other such administrative offices as may be necessary to the operation of the Department. Internal screening procedures, commonly referred to as "ethical walls," shall be implemented that meet prevailing legal standards for preserving each defendant's right to conflict-free, separate and independent counsel.
(B) The offices shall operate with sufficient separation that is required by applicable law, coinciding only for matters of administrative convenience and only at the top administrative level, and for any other matters or levels as permitted by law. The Public Defender shall regularly review the internal screening procedures to ensure conformity with prevailing law.
(Added by Ord. No. 9989 (N.S.), effective 7-16-09; amended by Ord. No. 10242 (N.S.), effective 2-7-13)