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LaughingBear
What is PC 987.2?
987.2. (a) In any case in which a person, including a person who is
a minor, desires but is unable to employ counsel, and in which
counsel is assigned in the superior court to represent the person in
a criminal trial, proceeding, or appeal, the following assigned
counsel shall receive a reasonable sum for compensation and for
necessary expenses, the amount of which shall be determined by the
court, to be paid out of the general fund of the county:
(1) In a county or city and county in which there is no public
defender.
(2) In a county of the first, second, or third class where there
is no contract for criminal defense services between the county and
one or more responsible attorneys.
(3) In a case in which the court finds that, because of a conflict
of interest or other reasons, the public defender has properly
refused.
(4) In a county of the first, second, or third class where
attorneys contracted by the county are unable to represent the person
accused.
(b) The sum provided for in subdivision (a) may be determined by
contract between the court and one or more responsible attorneys
after consultation with the board of supervisors as to the total
amount of compensation and expenses to be paid, which shall be within
the amount of funds allocated by the board of supervisors for the
cost of assigned counsel in those cases.
(c) In counties that utilize an assigned private counsel system as
either the primary method of public defense or as the method of
appointing counsel in cases where the public defender is unavailable,
the county, the courts, or the local county bar association working
with the courts are encouraged to do all of the following:
(1) Establish panels that shall be open to members of the State
Bar of California.
(2) Categorize attorneys for panel placement on the basis of
experience.
(3) Refer cases to panel members on a rotational basis within the
level of experience of each panel, except that a judge may exclude an
individual attorney from appointment to an individual case for good
cause.
(4) Seek to educate those panel members through an approved
training program.
(5) Establish a cost-efficient plan to ensure maximum recovery of
costs pursuant to Section 987.8.
(d) In a county of the first, second, or third class, the court
shall first utilize the services of the public defender to provide
criminal defense services for indigent defendants. In the event that
the public defender is unavailable and the county and the courts have
contracted with one or more responsible attorneys or with a panel of
attorneys to provide criminal defense services for indigent
defendants, the court shall utilize the services of the
county-contracted attorneys prior to assigning any other private
counsel. Nothing in this subdivision shall be construed to require
the appointment of counsel in any case in which the counsel has a
conflict of interest. In the interest of justice, a court may depart
from that portion of the procedure requiring appointment of a
county-contracted attorney after making a finding of good cause and
stating the reasons therefor on the record.
(e) In a county of the first, second, or third class, the court
shall first utilize the services of the public defender to provide
criminal defense services for indigent defendants. In the event that
the public defender is unavailable and the county has created a
second public defender and contracted with one or more responsible
attorneys or with a panel of attorneys to provide criminal defense
services for indigent defendants, and if the quality of
representation provided by the second public defender is comparable
to the quality of representation provided by the public defender, the
court shall next utilize the services of the second public defender
and then the services of the county-contracted attorneys prior to
assigning any other private counsel. Nothing in this subdivision
shall be construed to require the appointment of counsel in any case
in which the counsel has a conflict of interest. In the interest of
justice, a court may depart from that portion of the procedure
requiring appointment of the second public defender or a
county-contracted attorney after making a finding of good cause and
stating the reasons therefor on the record.
(f) In any case in which counsel is assigned as provided in
subdivision (a), that counsel appointed by the court and any
court-appointed licensed private investigator shall have the same
rights and privileges to information as the public defender and the
public defender investigator. It is the intent of the Legislature in
enacting this subdivision to equalize any disparity that exists
between the ability of private, court-appointed counsel and
investigators, and public defenders and public defender
investigators, to represent their clients. This subdivision is not
intended to grant to private investigators access to any confidential
Department of Motor Vehicles' information not otherwise available to
them. This subdivision is not intended to extend to private
investigators the right to issue subpoenas.
(g) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, where an
indigent defendant is first charged in one county and establishes an
attorney-client relationship with the public defender, defense
services contract attorney, or private attorney, and where the
defendant is then charged with an offense in a second or subsequent
county, the court in the second or subsequent county may appoint the
same counsel as was appointed in the first county to represent the
defendant when all of the following conditions are met:
(1) The offense charged in the second or subsequent county would
be joinable for trial with the offense charged in the first if it
took place in the same county, or involves evidence which would be
cross-admissible.
(2) The court finds that the interests of justice and economy will
be best served by unitary representation.
(3) Counsel appointed in the first county consents to the
appointment.
(h) The county may recover costs of public defender services under
Chapter 6 (commencing with Section 4750) of Title 5 of Part 3 for
any case subject to Section 4750.
(i) Counsel shall be appointed to represent, in a misdemeanor
case, a person who desires but is unable to employ counsel, when it
appears that the appointment is necessary to provide an adequate and
effective defense for the defendant. Appointment of counsel in an
infraction case is governed by Section 19.6.
(j) As used in this section, "county of the first, second, or
third class" means the county of the first class, county of the
second class, and county of the third class as provided by Sections
28020, 28022, 28023, and 28024 of the Government Code.
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How long has Limo Dave been in the slammer now?
Since he was arrested on 05/31/2008.
