2000 Annual Report #7

With the reduction in the number of Major Cases pending in the office at the end of 2000 (particularly First Degree Murder Cases), the office made two staff changes which affects the way in which we provide coverage to the various caseloads. First, we moved the part time attorney position from the Misdemeanor Division to Mental Health cases. Secondly, we moved the felony attorney who carries a part time Misdemeanor caseload to Misdemeanors, full time. These are probably just temporary moves, because once the Major cases begin to increase, we will have to shift an attorney position back to the Felony Division.

The number of misdemeanors has been a problem for some time, and if the numbers continue at their present level, we will need to have a full time position added to the Misdemeanor Division. This is not due solely to the number of cases, but also to the type of cases and the nature of those cases. Specifically, the domestic violence cases have consumed more of our attorney time in recent years. The County Attorneys Office has added staff, both attorneys and paralegals to prosecute these cases. There is no plea bargaining in most of these cases which makes the time to resolve the case even greater.

The Mental health docket deserves more attention than we have been able to provide in the past. The part time attorney position is ideal for this docket but we anticipate that the part time may include upwards of 13-15 hours per week. In an attempt to move the cases along and provide better representation, we will try to become involved earlier in the process and utilize the independent evaluation process to a greater extent.

We are in the very beginning phases of the development of a new case management information system that can be shared between the County Attorney and the Public Defender. A requirements study is to begin as we publish this annual report. The new system should allow us to realize greater efficiencies as we enter the 21st century.

Hardware upgrades are inevitable given the uses that computers are being put to these days. It is also inevitable given the City County Email-Calendering system that will be installed. We anticipate that we will begin the upgrade in FY02 and spread it over two years.

After years of anticipation, Lancaster County hired a "Defense Eligibility Technician" to screen individuals who were requesting appointed counsel, for eligibility. The Lancaster County Board is providing funding for the three-year pilot project, and the Nebraska Supreme Court approved model rules for the District and County Courts to implement the system. An Advisory Committee drafted policies and procedures and interviewed candidates for the position. Ms. Catherine Rech was hired and serves under the County Court Judicial Administrator by written agreement between the state and the county.

The Lancaster County Indigent Defense Advisory Committee is a group of 5 attorneys, nominated by the Lincoln Bar Association and Appointed by the Lancaster County Commissioners , to advise the Public Defender and the County Board on indigent defense issues. This committee consists of Sean Brennan, Rodney Confer, Randy Goyette, Virginia Johnson, and Andrew Strotman. Two of their recommendations made in 2000, which were acted upon favorably by the County Commissioners, were the addition of juvenile law violation conflicts to three of the private attorney contractors in Juvenile Court, and the selection of a fourth contractor for work in abuse and neglect cases in Juvenile Court. The new contractor selected was Recknor and Associates (Steve Williams and Randy Wertz, attorneys).