BEDFORD – Lawrence County uses the Indiana Public Defender Commission to help provide funding for public defenders. The county has used this service since 2011.
According to officials, 40 percent of the costs of public defenders are reimbursed back to the county by the commission.
“We have been reimbursed more than $400,000 from the state,” said Chief Public Defender Tim Sledd.
Since June 22, 2022, Sledd has not had to use any contract public defenders to represent defenders, saving the county a lot of money.
“Currently a contract public defender is paid $100 an hour,” Sledd said.
Lawrence County Public Defenders have provided representation to 1,450 defendants.
“We are humming along and running really well,” said Sledd. “My effort is to make my office’s efforts transparent.”
Sledd requested to remove a wall in his current office at Courthouse Plaza to make room to conduct dispositions.
“These dispositions are essential for both the prosecution and the defense to prepare for trial,” he said. “Our current area is just too small to hold these in. If we remove a non-bearing wall and make the area larger we will have enough room to conduct these in.”
The commissioners asked Sledd to present them with a proposal on the needed improvement.
Chief Public Defender Tim Sledd reported to the commissioners the jail population has increased due to the number of petitions to revoke arrests. This morning there were 95 inmates housed at the jail.
“I keep my finger on the jail count,” said Sledd. “Me, the prosecutor, and the judges are working on getting those inmates out as quickly as possible. Those inmates are held without bond because it is a petition to revoke arrest,” added Sledd. “Those charges were filed in November and December and then warrants were issued and they were arrested in December and January. We all have the same goal to keep jail numbers down. 95 is still better than days when the numbers were at 160.”
