Section 9 Division standards - Massachusetts Statutes

Section 9. The committee shall establish standards for the public defender division and the private counsel division which shall include but not be limited to:

(a) vertical or continuous representation at the pre-trial and trial stages by the attorney either assigned or appointed, whenever possible;

(b) required participation by each attorney in an approved course of training in the fundamentals of criminal trial practice, unless the attorney has a level of ability which makes such participation unnecessary;

(c) specified caseload limitation levels;

(d) investigative services;

(e) a method for the provision of social services or social service referrals;

(f) availability of expert witnesses to participating counsel;

(g) clerical assistance, interview facilities, and the availability of a law library and model forms to participating counsel; and

(h) adequate supervision provided by experienced attorneys who shall be available to less experienced attorneys.

(i) qualifications for vendors for the services provided in clauses (d), (e) and (f) and a range of rates payable for said services, taking into consideration the rates, qualifications and history of performance; provided, however, that such ranges may be exceeded with approval of the court. Payment of such costs and fees shall be in accordance with the provisions of section twenty-seven A to G, inclusive, of chapter two hundred and sixty-one.