"The hardships of the public defender's office are not new. Public defender offices are regularly spilling over with cases. Staff turnover is around 25 percent and the officials hope to address an issue of representing clients who don't actually qualify for court-appointed representation. Add to the list the Office of Public Defender's operational expenses: approximately $74.5 million, or in other words, $9.5 million more than its funding from the state from the last regular session."

Great Falls Tribune

June 11, 2018