Sec. 51-291. Duties of the Chief Public Defender. - Connecticut Statutes

      Sec. 51-291. Duties of the Chief Public Defender. The Chief Public Defender shall:

      (1) Direct and supervise the work of the Deputy Chief Public Defender and all public defenders, assistant public defenders, deputy assistant public defenders and other personnel appointed pursuant to this chapter; and he and the Deputy Chief Public Defender may participate in the trial of criminal actions.

      (2) Submit to the commission, prior to December thirty-first of each year, a report which shall include all pertinent data on the operation of the Division of Public Defender Services, the costs, projected needs, and recommendations for statutory changes, including changes in the civil and criminal law, and changes in court rules, which may be appropriate to the improvement of the system of criminal justice, the rehabilitation of offenders and other related objectives. Prior to February first of the following year, the commission shall submit the report along with such recommendations, comments, conclusions or other pertinent information it chooses to make, to the Chief Justice, the Governor and the members of the committee on judiciary of the General Assembly. The reports shall be public records, shall be maintained in the office of the Chief Public Defender and shall be otherwise distributed as the commission shall direct.

      (3) With the approval of the commission, establish such divisions, facilities and offices and select such professional, technical and other personnel, including investigators, as he deems reasonably necessary for the efficient operation and discharge of the duties of public defender services under this chapter, subject to the personnel policies and compensation plan established by the commission.

      (4) Administer, coordinate and control the operations of defender services and be responsible for the overall supervision and direction of all personnel, offices, divisions and facilities of the Division of Public Defender Services.

      (5) Develop programs and administer activities to achieve the purposes of this chapter.

      (6) At his discretion, consult and cooperate with professional bodies and groups concerning the causes of criminal conduct, means for reducing the commission of crimes, the rehabilitation and correction of those convicted of crimes, and the improvement of the administration and conduct of public defender services.

      (7) Keep and maintain proper financial records with respect to the providing of all public defender services for use in the calculating of direct and indirect costs of any or all aspects of the operation of public defender services.

      (8) Supervise the training of all public defenders, assistant public defenders, deputy assistant public defenders and other personnel and establish such training courses as shall be appropriate.

      (9) Promulgate necessary rules, regulations and instructions, consistent with this chapter, defining the organization of his office and the responsibilities of public defenders, assistant public defenders, deputy assistant public defenders and other personnel.

      (10) With the approval of the commission, apply for and accept on behalf of the Division of Public Defender Services, any funds which may be offered or which may become available from government grants, private gifts, donations or bequests, or from any other source, and with the approval of the commission expend the funds to carry out the purposes of this chapter.

      (11) Maintain one or more lists of trial lawyers who may be available to represent persons in habeas corpus proceedings arising from criminal matters, or to represent juveniles in delinquency matters before the court, or to represent persons in other appropriate matters on a case by case basis, as needed, which lawyers shall be selected by a judge of the court before which the matter is to be heard.

      (12) Establish compensation for lawyers selected under subdivision (11) of this section for their services with the approval of the commission, to be paid from the budget of the Public Defender Services Commission.

      (13) Prepare and submit to the commission estimates of appropriations necessary for the maintenance and operation of public defender services, and make recommendations with respect thereto; and with the approval of the commission, and after such modification as the commission directs, submit the budget requests to the Governor.

      (P.A. 74-317, S. 3, 14; P.A. 75-530, S. 25, 35; P.A. 76-436, S. 576, 681; P.A. 82-248, S. 146; P.A. 06-9, S. 1.)

      History: P.A. 75-530 required maintenance of list of lawyers to represent juveniles in delinquency matters before the juvenile court in Subdiv. (k); P.A. 76-436 added references to deputy assistant public defenders in Subdivs. (a), (h) and (i), effective July 1, 1978; P.A. 82-248 rephrased the section, deleted the provision making the commission an autonomous body within the judicial department and made that provision a part of Sec. 51-289, and replaced the alphabetic Subdiv. indicators with numeric indicators; P.A. 06-9 amended Subdiv. (2) to change deadline for Chief Public Defender to submit report from "between August fifteenth and September fifteenth of each year" to "prior to December thirty-first of each year", to change deadline for commission to submit report from "Prior to October fifteenth of each year" to "Prior to February first of the following year" and to make technical changes, effective July 1, 2006.

      Subdiv. (11):

      Allows the court to make discretionary appointment of counsel in a habeas corpus action but present case concerning conditions of confinement does not rise to the level of requiring such appointment. 49 CS 1.