There shall be a Public Defender appointed by
the Mayor with the advice and consent of the Council for a term of
one year and until the appointment and qualification of a successor.
The duties of the Public Defender shall be as follows:
A.Â
The Public Defender shall attend all sessions of the
Municipal Court as required and shall serve as the defense attorney
for any and all indigent defendants charged with a disorderly person's
offense or with a violation of any law, ordinance or regulation of
a penal nature which could result in a penalty of incarceration, substantial
fine or, in the opinion of the court, any other consequence of magnitude.
B.Â
It shall be the duty of the Township Municipal Judge
to ascertain whether such indigent defendants desire the services
of a Public Defender and are, in fact, indigent and determine whether
or not the charges sufficiently warrant the assignment of the Public
Defender and, in such cases, to make the assignment to the Public
Defender.
C.Â
In the event that the Public Defender ascertains that
such defendant(s) so assigned is/are not in fact indigent, the Public
Defender will so advise the Judge, who will make the final determination
in regard to whether such defendant(s) is/are entitled to the service
of the Public Defender.
D.Â
The Public Defender shall provide the Township Attorney
with a monthly report outlining the activities and including the number
of cases handled, disposition thereof, number of appeals and their
disposition.
