Public defenders ask Gov. Nixon for more funds

The Missouri Public Defender Commission is asking Gov. Jay Nixon for a $10 million budget increase.

Director Michael Barrett said the commission is severely understaffed and the money is needed to hire more lawyers throughout the state.

“We’ve gone to the Legislature and the governor for years saying we didn’t have enough attorneys to handle the 70,000 plus cases we have every single year,” said Barrett.

Reports from the American BAR Association, National Juvenile Defender Center and the Department of Justice all cite problems with Missouri’s public defender system.

From 2010 to 2015,public defender system expenditures increased by $2,353,584.

A spokesperson for Nixon said those expenditures are expected to increase by$1,128,910 in the coming fiscal year.

Follow the links to read the reports:

The Missouri Project – American BAR Association

Missouri: Justice Rationed -National Juvenile Defender Center

Investigation of the St. Louis County Family Court – U.S. Department of Justice