Attorney Vacancies Force Missouri Public Defender System To Increase Private Attorney Spending

The Missouri Public Defender System spent 10-million dollars last year to pay private attorneys to represent some clients. The system provides legal services to low-income Missourians who have been charged with a crime.

Director Mary Fox says it did not have enough of its own attorneys to represent clients. She says 10-million dollars is a significant increase in the system’s budget…

Fox says the system has about 50 attorney openings statewide, especially in the southern and far northern parts of Missouri. Most of the system’s cases deal with addiction.