[Adopted 11-22-1993 by Ord. No. 93-50]
There shall be established in the Township of Pennsauken, County of Camden, State of New Jersey, a Municipal  Court Public Defender who shall be an attorney-at-law, duly licensed to practice law in the State of New Jersey, and in good standing.
Said Municipal Court Public Defender shall be appointed by resolution of the Township Committee and shall hold office or employment from the date of appointment to December 31, inclusive, of the year in which he or she shall be appointed, unless otherwise provided in said resolution. In no case, however, shall the term of office extend beyond the period commencing on January 1 of the year of appointment and ending on December 31 of said year.
Said Municipal Court Public Defender shall receive such compensation as shall be provided by ordinance.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: See Ch. 77, Salaries and Compensation.
[Amended 7-28-1999 by Ord. No. 99-32]
A. 
The Township Municipal Court Public Defender shall represent in Municipal Court all indigent persons (as defined in N.J.S.A. 2B:24-2) charged with a crime as specified in N.J.S.A. 2B:12-18 or, if in the opinion of the Municipal Court there is a likelihood that the defendant, if convicted, or any other offense, will be subject to imprisonment or other consequence of magnitude.
B. 
The Township Municipal Court Public Defender shall be responsible for handling all phases of the defense, including but not limited to discovery, pretrial and post-trial hearings, motions, removals to Federal District Court and other collateral functions reasonably related to the defense. As used in this subsection, "post-trial hearing" shall not include de novo appeals in Superior Court.
[Amended 7-28-1999 by Ord. No. 99-32]
In order to obtain the services of the Public Defender, an application shall be filed with the Municipal Court on a form to be provided by the Township. The application form shall be consistent with the requirements of N.J.S.A. 2A:158A-14.
[Amended 7-28-1999 by Ord. No. 99-32]
A. 
Eligibility for services of the Municipal Public Defender shall be determined by the Municipal Court on the basis of the need of the defendant, except as provided in N.J.S.A. 22:24-11. Need shall be measured in accordance with N.J.S.A. 2A:158A-14 and guidelines promulgated by the New Jersey Supreme Court.
B. 
In the event that a determination of eligibility cannot be made before the time when the first services are to be rendered or if an initial determination is found to be erroneous, the Municipal Court shall refer the defendant to the Municipal Public Defender, provisionally, and if subsequently it is determined that the defendant is ineligible, the Municipal Court shall so inform the defendant and the defendant shall be obliged to engage his or her own counsel and to reimburse the Township for the costs of the services rendered to that time.
C. 
The Municipal Court shall make an investigation of the financial status of each defendant seeking representation pursuant to this article and shall have the authority to require a defendant to execute and deliver written requests or authorizations required under any applicable law to provide the Court and access to records of public or private sources, otherwise confidential, as may be of aid in evaluating eligibility. The Municipal Court is authorized to obtain information from any public record office of the state or any subdivision or agency thereof on request and without payment of the fees ordinarily required by law.
D. 
Whenever a person entitled to representation by a Municipal Public Defender pursuant to this article is under the age of 18, the eligibility for services shall be determined on the basis of the financial circumstances of the individual and the financial circumstances of the individual's parents or legal guardians. The Township shall be entitled to recover the cost of legal services from the parents or legal guardians as provided in N.J.S.A. 2B:24-16, and the Municipal Court shall have the authority to require the parents or legal guardians to execute and deliver the written request or authorizations required under the applicable law in order to provide the Court with access to records of public or private sources, otherwise confidential, as may be of aid to it in evaluating eligibility.
[Amended 7-28-1999 by Ord. No. 99-32]
A. 
The application fee for the services of the Municipal Public Defender shall be $200.
B. 
In accordance with guidelines promulgated by the Supreme Court, the Municipal Court may waive any required application fee in whole or in part, only if the Court determines, in its discretion, upon a clear and convincing showing by the applicant that the application fee represents an unreasonable burden on the person seeking representation. The Municipal Court may permit a person to pay the application fee over a specified period of time not to exceed four months.
[Amended 7-28-1999 by Ord. No. 99-32]
If the defendant has or reasonably expects to have means to meet some part, although not all, of the costs of the services rendered, the defendant shall be required to reimburse the Township, either by a single payment or installments in such amounts as the defendant can reasonably be expected to pay, but no default or failure in making payments shall affect or reduce the rendering of services.
[Amended 7-28-1999 by Ord. No. 99-32]
A. 
The Township shall have a lien on any property to which the defendant shall have or acquire an interest for an amount equal to the reasonable value of the services rendered to a defendant pursuant to this article as calculated at the same rate as the Office of the Public Defender bills clients at that time.
B. 
The lien for the reasonable value of the services rendered to a defendant pursuant to this article shall be effectuated in accordance with N.J.S.A. 2B:24-13(b).
C. 
Any money due to the Township by way of reimbursement for services rendered by the Municipal Public Defender pursuant to this article may be collected in accordance with N.J.S.A. 2B:24-16.
[Amended 7-28-1999 by Ord. No. 99-32]
All funds collected pursuant to § 25-20 shall be deposited in a dedicated fund administered by the Chief Financial Officer of the Township. Such funds shall be used exclusively to meet the costs incurred in providing the services of the Municipal Public Defender, including, when required, expert and lay investigation and testimony.