DA ROD PACHECO PROPOSES COST-SAVING REVIEW OF FREE LAWYERS

RIVERSIDE, CA - At the Board of Supervisors meeting today, District Attorney Rod Pacheco proposed a cost-saving measure related to the use of free lawyers by criminal defendants. The proposal seeks to save taxpayers money by limiting the use of free lawyers and by recouping lawyer fees from criminal defendants if the defendant has the financial ability to pay.

Pacheco addressed the Board of Supervisors today with his proposal which could potentially save the county hundreds of thousands of dollars each year. A few Riverside County courts have been diligent in ensuring that only those defendants who are unable to afford an attorney receive a taxpayer-funded defense attorney. However, this diligence is not exercised in all of the courts throughout Riverside County giving some criminal defendants a windfall at taxpayer's expense.

Under the law, a criminal defendant has a right to legal representation and will be appointed an attorney if they cannot afford one. If a criminal defendant has the ability to pay for a defense attorney, he or she cannot legally be provided a taxpayer-funded free attorney. Similarly, the law allows for reimbursement to county taxpayers for the representation provided. Adopting and implementing a consistent countywide process for making this determination would ensure that a defendant who has the ability to hire their own defense attorney doesn't end up taking advantage of a taxpayer-funded defense attorney.

"The silver lining in a poor economy is that we continue to look for places to save money which can result in increased efficiency and savings to the taxpayers in the long-term," said District Attorney Rod Pacheco. "This is one such idea."

Along with continued efforts by the District Attorney's Office to cut costs and increase efficiency within the office, the District Attorney's Office has reviewed county operations from the perspective of public safety and as a user of the services provided by the county. That review has resulted in the District Attorney's recommendation to revisit the current practice and to develop a standard countywide procedure to ensure that county funds are safe-guarded and legal fees are recuperated from criminal defendants. The District Attorney's proposal is a part of a larger effort to cut costs during the current economic climate.

The District Attorney's internal budget review process has resulted in over 51 cost-saving measures taken by District Attorney Pacheco since he took office in January 2007.