Plans are in motion for creating a Public Defender Administrator position within Livingston County.

County Administrator Ken Hinton addressed Livingston County’s General Government and Health and Human Services Committee on Monday night about implementing the new position within the county. The creation of a Public Defender Administrator would help comply with new state standards from the Michigan Indigent Defense Commission. Funds for the position would be coming from State grants. The selected candidate would be responsible for overseeing the assignment of contract attorneys to indigent defendants. Other duties would include reporting necessary legal information regarding cases back to the state and tracking the educational requirements of contract attorneys.

Following Monday night’s approval, the next steps involve getting approval from teh county's Finance Committee and then the full Board of Commissioners. Hinton says he feels confident the board will give their final approval on the position on August 20th.

Once the position gets approved, the job posting will be made. Hinton says he hopes to have the position filled by the second week of October. (DF)