Lawyers have problems with a new state agency

[janneke]

Defenders argue plan for defense


Lawyers have problems with a new state agency
http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/s ... 4619.shtml




By Paul Pinkham, The Times-Union


Florida defense lawyers predict disaster for a legislative plan that creates a new state agency to replace court-appointed counsel for indigent defendants who can't be represented by a public defender.



They foresee offices filled with overworked, underpaid attorneys, diminishing the quality of justice for the poor and leading to an increase in costly appeals and delays in criminal and child dependency cases.