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Lake County’s first full-time public defender faces hiring challenges
Other counties may be watching. A growing body of academic research claims that full-time public defenders provide better representation than contract-based systems. But public defenders' offices across the nation are also reporting difficulty in hiring attorneys, particularly in rural areas.
Lake County swore in its first ever full-time, statutory public defender in October. Several attorneys, including former contract public defenders, say there has been an exodus of people willing to represent indigent defendants since then. But Public Defender Raymond A. Buenaventura said the changeover is going according to plan.
Other counties may be watching. A growing body of academic research claims that full-time public defenders prov...