[Amended 7-21-2009 by Ord. No. 24-2009]
A. Legal
authority. The Office of Municipal Public Defender is hereby established
in accordance with the provisions set forth in N.J.S.A. 2B:24-1 et
seq.
B. Appointment.
The Municipal Court of the City of Millville shall have at least one
municipal public defender appointed by the governing body of the municipality
in accordance with applicable laws, ordinances and resolutions. Any
municipal court with two or more municipal public defenders shall
have a Chief Municipal Public Defender who shall be appointed by the
governing body of the municipality. The Chief Municipal Public Defender
shall have authority over other municipal public defenders serving
that court with respect to the performance of their duties.
C. Qualifications.
A municipal public defender shall be an attorney at law of this state
in good standing and shall serve for a term of one year from the date
of his or her appointment. A municipal public defender may continue
to serve in office pending reappointment or the appointment of a successor.
A municipal public defender need not reside in the municipality where
he or she acts as a municipal public defender.
D. Additional
municipal public defenders. The municipality may appoint additional
municipal public defenders as necessary to administer justice in a
timely and effective manner in the Municipal Court. The appointment
shall be made in accordance with applicable laws, ordinances and resolutions.
Appointments to fill vacancies in the position of municipal public
defender shall be made in accordance with the provisions of applicable
state law as soon as practicable.
E. Removal
from office. A municipal public defender may be removed from office
by the governing body of the municipality for good cause shown and
after a public hearing and upon due notice and an opportunity to be
heard. Failure to reappoint a municipal public defender for a second
or subsequent term does not constitute a removal from office within
the meaning of the applicable state law.
F. Compensation. A municipal public defender shall receive compensation,
either on an hourly, per diem, annual or other basis, as the municipality
may provide. The ordinance, resolution or agreement setting compensation
shall set forth any additional compensation to be paid for interlocutory
appeals in the Superior Court.
G. Duties of public defender. It shall be the duty of the municipal
public defender to represent any defendant charged with an offense
in the Municipal Court who is an indigent municipal defendant entitled
to representation in accordance with applicable law. This duty shall
be carried out except in the case of temporary unavailability or conflict
of interest. All necessary services and facilities of representation,
including both expert and lay investigation and testimony, as well
as other preparation, shall be provided. The municipality shall be
responsible for payment of services pursuant to applicable state law.
The factors of need and real value to a defendant may be weighed against
the financial constraints of the municipality in determining the necessary
services and facilities of representation. The final determination
as to necessity of services required shall be made by the court.
H. Defendant is entitled to a public defender. If there is a vacancy
in the Office of Municipal Public Defender, if the municipal public
defender is temporarily unavailable or if a finding of conflict of
interest precludes the municipal public defender from representing
an indigent defendant, the Municipal Court shall appoint a qualified
attorney to represent the indigent defendant.
I. Eligibility for services of public defender. 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 otherwise
provided by state law. The need shall be measured according to applicable
state law and guidelines promulgated by the New Jersey Supreme Court.
J. Partial payment for services. If the defendant has, or reasonably
expects to have, means to meet some part of the cost of the services
rendered, the defendant shall be required to reimburse the municipality
that part of the cost of the services rendered. The payment may be
made by a single payment or in installments in such amount as the
defendant can be reasonably expected to pay. However, no default or
failure to make payments shall affect or reduce the rendering of services.
K. Authority to collect moneys. The authority to collect moneys from
the defendant is set forth in Subsections 13 through 16 of the applicable
state statute. The municipal attorney is authorized to compromise
and settle any claim for services performed pursuant to this act whenever
the financial circumstances of the person receiving the services are
such that the best interest of the state will be served by compromise
and settlement.
L. Application fee. A person applying for representation by a municipal
public defender or court-approved counsel shall pay an application
fee of not more than $200. The Municipal Court may waive the application
fee, in whole or in part, only if the court determines 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 specific
period of time not to exceed four months.