HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 12192006 - C.124 TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS Contra
FROM: DAVID COLEMAN f
Public Defender e';;;_,ti = Costa
CountyDATE: December 19, 2006 °�'� s
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SUBJECT: REQUEST FOR PUBLIC DEFENDER TO APPLY FOR FUNDING FOR
REPRESENTATION OF PARTIES IN JUVENILE DEPENDENCY CASES 1
SPECIFIC REQUEST(S)OR RECOMMENDATION(S)&BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION
RECOMMENDATION:
APPROVE and AUTHORIZE the Public Defender, or designee, to submit a bid proposal to the Superior
Court of California, County of Contra Costa to continue to provide legal representation for parties in
juvenile dependency proceedings.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
The application, if accepted and contract awarded, will maintain funding for the Public Defender to
provide representation to the Superior Court in Welfare and Institutions Code Section 300 cases.
The Public Defender's FY 2005/06 budget includes $3,182,058 of revenue to cover actual costs for
the current program. Any proposal will recover all County costs.
BACKGROUND:
Whenever a child appears to come within the description of W&I 300 and W&I 601 or 602, the
Probation Department and Children's Protective Services conduct a joint assessment to determine
whether delinquency or dependency status will best serve the child and the protection of society, and
'then make a recommendation to the Court. Currently, the Court appoints the Public Defender to
provide legal representation for minors and parents in dependency proceedings. The Public
Defender then refers conflicting appointments to the Office of the Alternative Defender. When the
Alternative Defender has a conflict, it makes referrals to the Contra Costa County Bar Association
Conflict Panel. The Court currently hears juvenile dependency cases in the Martinez and Richmond
Courts.
The FY 2005-06 costs of the above representation came to slightly over 5 million dollars. The Courts
report that this amount is considerably more expensive than the per capita costs experienced by
other Bay Area counties. On October 23, 2006 the Superior Court of California, County of Contra
Costa released a Request for Proposals to provide representation to parties in juvenile dependency
proceedings. The Court intends to award contract(s) for a three year period, effective July 1, 2007.
CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: NO SIGNATURE:
® RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR E64COMMI61NDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE
®APPROVE ❑ OTHER
SIGNATURE(S): i
ACTION OF BOA N
APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED ® OTHER ❑
VOTE OF SUPERVISORS: I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE AND
__-.... CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN AND
X u1vAv1AJO11S.(K4C4NT) DIST IV ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE BOARD
NOES: -==--=---- - - " OF SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE SHOWN.
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ATTESTED:
Contact: David Coleman 335-8079 JOHN CULLEN, CLERK OF THE BOARD OF
SUPERVISORS AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR
cc: Public Defender—David Coleman
CAO-Jennifer Deadman
By: Deputy