Minnesota / Board cuts its public defenders statewide

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Those accused of crimes in Minnesota likely will wait longer for their day in court, and some parents trying to hang onto their children will stop getting free legal representation, after cuts adopted by the state Board of Public Defense on Thursday.

The board voted to trim more than 15 percent of its lawyers.

That translates into the equivalent of 72 full-time positions. The board said in a news release that it faces a $3.8 million deficit after the Legislature cut $1.5 million from its budget to address the state's shortfall.

Public defenders represent the majority of defendants in Minnesota, including 85 percent of those accused of felonies and half of those accused of misdemeanors. The average public defender handles 714 cases a year, a number expected to top 800 after the job cuts take effect next month.


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