Gov. Mike Parson has named former Jackson County Circuit Judge Charles Atwell to the Public Defender Commission. Atwell, who served on the bench from 1996 to 2012, is of-counsel to Foland, Wickens, Roper, Hofer & Crawford in Kansas City, where ...

Tagged with: Foland Wickens Roper Hofer & Crawford Judge Charles Atwell Public Defender Commission

Gov. Jay Nixon has named three appointees to the state’s Public Defender Commission.

Tagged with: Public Defender Commission

After the Missouri Court of Appeals Western District struck down an administrative rule allowing the public defender system to regulate its caseload, the leader of the system asked a House committee for a legislative fix. Such a bill has already ...

Tagged with: Jack Goodman Jennifer Joyce legislature Missouri Public Defender Commission Robert McCulloch

Missouri’s public defenders are used to arguing to the appellate courts on behalf of clients. On Thursday, they used their powers of persuasion on behalf of the public defender system itself. Attorneys for the Missouri State Public Defender’s Office appeared ...

Tagged with: Missouri Court of Appeals Western District Public Defender Commission public defenders Shook Hardy & Bacon

The seemingly routine procedure of referring a bill to committee could have a sizable impact on the fate of legislation altering the state’s public defender system. Most notably, Sen. Jack Goodman’s bill codifies an administrative rule allowing the Public Defender ...

Tagged with: Jack Goodman Jolie Justus Missouri Court of Appeals Western District Public Defender Commission public defenders Ron Richard

The Senate passed legislation Wednesday intended to lessen the pressure on Missouri’s heavily burdened public defenders by establishing caseload limits and excusing them from representing some defendants. Some local public defender offices already are turning away clients because their caseloads are ...

Tagged with: caseload Public Defender Commission public defenders

Amid concerns that an escalating workload is hindering public defenders’ ability to represent clients, the Missouri Senate took a big step toward sending legislation altering the system to the House. Sen. Jack Goodman’s legislation features a number of components, including ...

Tagged with: caseload Jack Goodman Lathrop & Gage Missouri Senate Public Defender Commission public defenders

Back in 2005, an independent consulting firm charged with studying Missouri’s Public Defender System concluded that it was “in a crisis mode.” “Public defenders throughout the state are struggling on a daily basis with a frequent exodus of colleagues, low ...

Tagged with: caseload Missouri State Public Defender System Public Defender Commission public defenders