Minnesota PDs Facing Familiar Budget Problems

By Brendan Max | Published: May 22, 2008

We are not the only Public Defender office in the country to have to fight for our jobs and adequate numbers of attorneys to represent the thousands of indigent clients in need.  Public Defenders in Minnesota are now facing the same budget issues we have faced the last several years: http://www.startribune.com/local/19160754.html.  We can only hope that someone there will stand up for the front-line attorneys and their clients.

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  • Michelle Thomas

    Thanks for posting that. I’ll keep our brothers & sisters to the north in my prayers. Don’t forget that we have 2 prior Cook County Assistant Public Defenders who left our office to work up in Minnesota. Andrew Northrup as well as Bill Ward.

  • mo

    Miami PD is also facing another 6% cut after a 5% cut last year…

  • Kulmeet Galhotra

    Sonnenschein, Nath & Rosenthal LLP is laying off 37 lawyers and 87 support staff, the firm’s chairman, Elliott I. Portnoy, announced Wednesday. According to today’s Daily Law Bulletin. 5/28/08

  • Michelle Thomas

    For those following the situation in Minnesota, the MN Board of Public Defense voted today to cut 72 full-time attorney positions. 19 of those will be vacant positions. 30 of those will be early retirements/voluntary departures, and 23-24 attorney’s will get laid off.

    In addition to this, the Public Defenders office will no longer represent parents in child protection or parental rights termination cases…as by statute, they are NOT required to provide that service.

    Here is the link to the article:

    http://www.startribune.com/local/19572244.html?location_refer=Homepage

    Michelle