The Florida Senate

¹27.53  Appointment of assistants and other staff; method of payment.--

(1)  The public defender of each judicial circuit is authorized to employ and establish, in such numbers as he or she shall determine, assistant public defenders, investigators, and other personnel who shall be paid from funds appropriated for that purpose. Notwithstanding the provisions of s. 790.01, s. 790.02, or s. 790.25(2)(a), an investigator employed by a public defender, while actually carrying out official duties, is authorized to carry concealed weapons if the investigator complies with s. 790.25(3)(o). However, such investigators are not eligible for membership in the Special Risk Class of the Florida Retirement System. The public defenders of all judicial circuits shall jointly develop a coordinated classification and pay plan which shall be submitted on or before January 1 of each year to the Justice Administrative Commission, the office of the President of the Senate, and the office of the Speaker of the House of Representatives. Such plan shall be developed in accordance with policies and procedures of the Executive Office of the Governor established in s. 216.181 Each assistant public defender appointed by a public defender under this section shall serve at the pleasure of the public defender. Each investigator employed by a public defender shall have full authority to serve any witness subpoena or court order issued, by any court or judge within the judicial circuit served by such public defender, in a criminal case in which such public defender has been appointed to represent the accused.

(2)  Any member of The Florida Bar, in good standing, may register his or her availability to the public defender of any judicial circuit for acceptance of special assignments without salary to represent indigent defendants. Such persons shall be listed and referred to as special assistant public defenders and be paid a fee and costs and expenses as provided in s. 925.036 A special assistant public defender may not reassign or subcontract a case to another attorney.

(3)  If, at any time during the representation of two or more indigents, the public defender determines that the interests of those accused are so adverse or hostile that they cannot all be counseled by the public defender or his or her staff without conflict of interest, or that none can be counseled by the public defender or his or her staff because of conflict of interest, the public defender shall file a motion to withdraw and move the court to appoint other counsel. The court shall review and may inquire or conduct a hearing into the adequacy of the public defender's representations regarding a conflict of interest without requiring the disclosure of any confidential communications. The court shall permit withdrawal unless the court determines that the asserted conflict is not prejudicial to the indigent client. If the court grants the motion to withdraw, it may appoint one or more members of The Florida Bar, who are in no way affiliated with the public defender, in his or her capacity as such, or in his or her private practice, to represent those accused. However, the trial court shall appoint such other counsel upon its own motion when the facts developed upon the face of the record and files in the cause disclose such conflict. The court shall advise the appropriate public defender and clerk of court, in writing, when making such appointment and state the conflict prompting the appointment. The appointed attorney shall be compensated as provided in s. 925.036

(4)  The appropriations for the offices of public defender shall be determined by a funding formula and such other factors as may be deemed appropriate in a manner to be determined by this subsection and any subsequent appropriations act.

History.--s. 4, ch. 63-409; s. 1, ch. 65-527; s. 1, ch. 67-192; s. 2, ch. 67-539; s. 2, ch. 72-327; s. 2, ch. 73-216; s. 1, ch. 76-287; s. 1, ch. 78-344; s. 4, ch. 80-376; s. 2, ch. 81-230; s. 2, ch. 81-273; s. 2, ch. 87-85; s. 1, ch. 90-159; s. 1, ch. 90-311; s. 140, ch. 95-147; s. 5, ch. 97-107; s. 1, ch. 99-282; s. 17, ch. 2003-402.

¹Note.--Section 17, ch. 2003-402, amended s. 27.53, effective July 1, 2004, to read:

27.53  Appointment of assistants and other staff; method of payment.--

(1)  The public defender of each judicial circuit is authorized to employ and establish, in such numbers as authorized by the General Appropriations Act, assistant public defenders and other staff and personnel pursuant to s. 29.006, who shall be paid from funds appropriated for that purpose. Notwithstanding the provisions of s. 790.01, s. 790.02, or s. 790.25(2)(a), an investigator employed by a public defender, while actually carrying out official duties, is authorized to carry concealed weapons if the investigator complies with s. 790.25(3)(o). However, such investigators are not eligible for membership in the Special Risk Class of the Florida Retirement System. The public defenders of all judicial circuits shall jointly develop a coordinated classification and pay plan which shall be submitted on or before January 1 of each year to the Justice Administrative Commission, the office of the President of the Senate, and the office of the Speaker of the House of Representatives. Such plan shall be developed in accordance with policies and procedures of the Executive Office of the Governor established in s. 216.181 Each assistant public defender appointed by a public defender under this section shall serve at the pleasure of the public defender. Each investigator employed by a public defender shall have full authority to serve any witness subpoena or court order issued, by any court or judge within the judicial circuit served by such public defender, in a criminal case in which such public defender has been appointed to represent the accused.

(2)  Any member of The Florida Bar, in good standing, may volunteer without salary to represent indigent defendants. Volunteer attorneys are to be referred to as special assistant public defenders. A special assistant public defender may not reassign or subcontract a case to another attorney.

(3)  The appropriations for the offices of public defender shall be determined by a funding formula and such other factors as may be deemed appropriate in a manner to be determined by this section and the General Appropriations Act.