Whenever he deems the interests of the township
so require, the Township Attorney, with the approval of the Council
and within the limits of available appropriations, may appoint special
counsel to assist him in the preparation, trial or argument of any
issue or in such other capacity as he may determine. If the Township
Attorney should be disqualified with respect to any matter, the Council
may appoint special counsel to represent the township for and with
respect to such matter, within the limits of available appropriations.
[Added 8-17-1987 by Ord. No. 1987-27; amended 12-15-1997 by Ord. No. 1997-33]
A. The Township Council of the Township of Mount Laurel
will appoint a Township Public Defender, who shall serve at the pleasure
of the Township Council for a term not to exceed one year.
B. The Township Public Defender shall defend criminal
and quasi-criminal business before the Municipal Court of the Township
of Mount Laurel in those cases in which his or her services are awarded
to a defendant after review by the Municipal Court Judge of an application
for such legal services. The application for the services of the Municipal
Public Defender shall be designed by the Municipal Court Administrator
and approved as to form by the Municipal Court Judge, unless the Burlington
County Assignment Judge or the New Jersey Supreme Court determines
the form of such application, in which case the determination of the
said Assignment Judge or the Supreme Court shall control.
C. Compensation for the Municipal Public Defender shall
be fixed from time to time by the Township Council.
D. The responsibilities of the Municipal Public Defender
and the Municipal Court, as they relate to the appointment of a Municipal
Public Defender, shall be controlled by the provisions of N.J.S.A.
2B:12-28 et seq.
E. All funds collected pursuant to the provisions of §
13-11 of the Township Code shall be deposited in a dedicated fund administered by the chief financial officer of the municipality. Such funds shall be used exclusively to meet the costs incurred in providing the services of a Municipal Public Defender, including, when required, expert and lay investigation and testimony.
[Amended 8-17-1987 by Ord. No. 1987-27]
Neither the Township Attorney, the Township
Prosecutor nor the Township Public Defender need be residents of the
township.