County Legislature Approves State Grant for Indigent Legal Services

Chautauqua County lawmakers have approved receiving a new grant to help fund defense lawyers for poor residents who can't afford an attorney in court. However, while the measure regarding public defenders was approved unanimously during Wednesday's legislature meeting in Mayville, there was an exchange over whether the scales of justice were being tipped. That was raised by Sheridan Republican Terry Niebel, who says generally, there used to be a one-to-one personnel ratio of public defenders and district attorney's offices. That has since increased in favor of public defenders...

Terry Niebel: will further favor public defenders

However, Jamestown Democrat Fred Larson, who is a retired Jamestown City Court Judge, noted that state law requires a public defender to be there when a defendant goes before a judge. Larson says there does not have to be a district attorney or assistant district attorney on hand...

Fred Larson: a DA is not required to be there

Niebel agreed that was the case, but he also said he was concerned about what may happen in the future. For the time being, at least, Larson says the state is funding the mandate of having a public defender on hand for court arraignments.

Image by Chautauqua County Government