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SB 2510 — Court-appointed Counsel
by Appropriations Committee
This summary is provided for information only and does not represent the opinion of any Senator, Senate Officer, or Senate Office.
Prepared by: Appropriations Committee (AP)
The bill:
- Deletes the requirement that an attorney who wants to be included on a registry must certify that he or she will accept the flat fees in s. 27.5304, F.S., as full payment for any case except RICO and deletes authorization for the chief judge to establish limited registries of attorneys willing to waive compensation above the flat fees.
- Creates the Cross-Circuit Conflict Representation Pilot Program including Public Defender Offices in the 10thand 13thJudicial Circuits and the Offices of Criminal Conflict and Civil Regional Counsel (OCCCRC) in the 5thRegion. The bill establishes a process by which cases are assigned pursuant to the pilot. The Public Defender and Regional Conflict Offices are directed to report on the pilot’s performance and cost savings.
- Increases trial level fee caps: from $2,500 to $6,000 for a noncapital, nonlife felony; from $3,000 to $9,000 for a life felony; and from $15,000 to $25,000 for a capital case. The fee cap for appellate representation is increased from $2,000 to $9,000.
- Changes the funding source for due process costs that exceed the over-the-flat-fee appropriation from the state court system to the Justice Administrative Commission’s due process categories.
If approved by the Governor, these provisions take effect July 1, 2014.
Vote: Senate 37-0; House 116-0