47-1-215. Regional offices -- regional public defenders, MCA

Montana Code Annotated 2025

TITLE 47. ACCESS TO LEGAL SERVICES

CHAPTER 1. STATEWIDE PUBLIC DEFENDER SYSTEM

Part 2. Public Defender Services

Regional Offices -- Regional Public Defenders

47-1-215. Regional offices -- regional public defenders. (1) The public defender division administrator shall hire, assign, and supervise a regional public defender to manage and supervise each regional office established pursuant to 47-1-104(2).

(2) Subject to approval by the public defender division administrator, each regional public defender shall:

(a) manage and supervise all public defender services provided within the regional public defender's assigned region;

(b) establish protocols so that when a court orders the assignment of counsel, the assignment is made promptly to an appropriate public defender and so that a public defender is immediately available when necessary;

(c) ensure that public defender assignments within the region comply with the provisions of 47-1-202(1)(c);

(d) hire and supervise the work of regional office personnel as authorized by the public defender division administrator;

(e) coordinate with the central services division to contract for necessary public defender services;

(f) implement the standards and procedures established by the director and the public defender division administrator for the region; and

(g) perform all other duties as assigned by the public defender division administrator.

History: En. Sec. 11, Ch. 449, L. 2005; amd. Sec. 10, Ch. 344, L. 2011; amd. Sec. 32, Ch. 358, L. 2017; amd. Sec. 11, Ch. 228, L. 2025.