Missouri Public Defender’s Office Seeking Budget Increase

(MISSOURINET) – Missouri’s public defender system is woefully understaffed, according to Mary Fox, Director of the State Public Defender Office. She told a House budget subcommittee last week that some Missouri counties don’t have ANY public defenders:

Fox says they’ve contracted private attorneys to help fill the gaps, but it’s not a permanent solution. She told the committee that getting law schools to focus on public interest could help boost the number of graduates interested in working as public defenders.