Effective - 28 Aug 2013
600.064. Private counsel, appointment of, requirements — expenses. — 1. Before a circuit court judge appoints private counsel to represent an indigent defendant, the judge shall:
(1) Investigate the defendant's financial status to verify that the defendant does not have the means to obtain counsel;
(2) Provide each appointed lawyer, upon request, with an evidentiary hearing as to the propriety of the appointment, taking into consideration the lawyer's right to earn a livelihood and be free from involuntary servitude. If the judge determines after the hearing that the appointment will cause any undue hardship to the lawyer, the judge shall appoint another lawyer; and
(3) Determine whether the private counsel to be appointed possesses the necessary experience, education, and expertise in criminal defense to provide effective assistance of counsel.
2. No judge shall require a lawyer to advance personal funds in any amount for the payment of litigation expenses to prepare a proper defense for an indigent defendant.
3. If an employee of the general assembly is appointed to represent an indigent defendant during the time period beginning January first and ending June first of each year, or whenever the general assembly is in a veto session or special session or is holding out-of-session committee hearings, the judge who made the appointment shall postpone the trial and all other proceedings of any kind or nature to a date that does not fall within such time period or appoint a different lawyer who is not an employee of the general assembly to represent the defendant.
4. Private counsel appointed to represent an indigent defendant may seek payment of litigation expenses from the public defender system. Such litigation expenses shall not include counsel fees and shall be limited to those expenses approved in advance by the director as reasonably necessary for the proper defense of the defendant.
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(L. 2013 H.B. 215)
Structure Missouri Revised Statutes
Title XXXVIII - Crimes and Punishment; Peace Officers and Public Defenders
Chapter 600 - Public Defenders
Section 600.011 - Definitions.
Section 600.017 - Commission, powers and duties.
Section 600.040 - Office space and utilities services, how provided — retirement system membership.
Section 600.044 - Legal services to be furnished by defender, dismissal from case, when, procedure.
Section 600.051 - Waiver of counsel, when permitted.
Section 600.062 - Acceptance of cases, no authority to limit based on caseload standards.
Section 600.063 - Caseload concerns, motion to court, procedure — rulemaking authority.
Section 600.064 - Private counsel, appointment of, requirements — expenses.
Section 600.089 - Parolees to pay for representation, when.
Section 600.091 - Confidentiality of defender's files, exceptions.
Section 600.093 - Probation, payment for services may be condition.
Section 600.101 - Provision of office space for public defender, disputes.