Community Budget Issue Requests - Tracking Id #575FY0102
Indigent Appelants - 2nd District
Requester:		Amy Merrill			Organization:		Manatee County
Project Title:		Indigent Appelants - 2nd District			Date Submitted:		1/18/2002 2:40:58 PM
Sponsors:		Michael Bennett
Statewide Interest:
Regional request for reduction of backlog in 2nd Appellate Court
Recipient:		Manatee County			Contact:		Amy Merrill
		1112 Manatee Avenue West			Contact Phone:		(417) 493-0303 583
		Bradenton 34205
Counties:		Manatee
Gov't Entity:		Yes	Private Organization (Profit/Not for Profit):
Project Description:
Currently, the Public Defender of the Tenth Judicial Circuit, headquartered in Bartow, represents indigent appellants in felony appeals arising in the Circuit Court of fourteen counties comprisin the Second Appellate District, which includes Manatee County. In fiscal years 1998-2000 and 2000-2001 the Public Defender of the Tenth Judicial Circuit received a special State appropriation in the amount of $300,000 to assist in eliminating the backlog of such appeal cases, which has been the subject of litigation in the Second District Court of Appeal and the Florida Supreme Court. In addition, by court order, the counties have been required to fund special appellate defenders pending reduction of the backlog. In order to furtehr alleviate the backlog and to reduce or eliminate the burden on the Second Appellate District to fund indigent felony appeals, the Legislature is urged to continue the special appropriation of $300,000 in future fiscal years.
Measurable Outcome Anticipated:
Reduction of backlog.
Amount requested from the State for this project this year:						$300,000
Identify items(s) in the FY 2002-03 Appropriations Bill to be reduced:
Specific Appropriation #:
Specific Appropriation Title:
Amount to be reduced:			$
Total cost of the project:			$300,000
Request has been made to fund:				Operations
What type of match exists for this project?					None
Was this project previously funded by the State?							Yes
	Fiscal Year:		2000-2001		Amount:		$300,000
Is future-year funding likely to be requested?							Yes
	Amount:		$300,000
	Purpose for future year funding:					Recurring Operations
	Will this be an annual request?						Yes
Was this project included in an Agency's Budget Request?							No
Was this project included in the Governor's Recommended Budget?							No
Is there a documented need for this project?							Unknown
Was this project request heard before a publicly noticed meeting of a body of elected officials (municipal, county, or state)?							Yes
	Hearing Body:		Manatee County Legislative Delegatoin
	Meeting Date:		12/12/2001