(A) There is created the Commission on Indigent Defense consisting of thirteen members.
(B) Nine members shall be appointed by the Governor as follows:
(1) One member from each of the four judicial regions of the State appointed upon recommendation of the South Carolina Public Defender Association. Members shall serve for terms of four years and until their successors are appointed and qualify. Vacancies must be filled in the manner of original appointment for the unexpired portion of the term. A person may not be appointed to the commission pursuant to the provisions of this item or, once appointed pursuant to the provisions of this item, may not continue to serve on the commission unless the person is a public defender.
(2) A member of the South Carolina Bar whose practice is principally in family law, appointed upon recommendation by the South Carolina Bar membership for a term of two years and who may be reappointed.
(3) Two members of the South Carolina Bar whose practice is principally in criminal defense law, appointed upon recommendation of the South Carolina Bar membership, who shall serve for a term of two years and may be reappointed.
(4) Two members of the South Carolina Bar whose practice is principally neither criminal defense nor family law, appointed upon recommendation of the South Carolina Bar membership, who shall serve for two-year terms and who may be reappointed.
(C) The remaining four members must be appointed as follows:
(1) two members appointed by the Chief Justice of the South Carolina Supreme Court, one of whom must be a retired circuit court judge and one of whom must be either a retired family court judge or a retired appellate court judge, each of whom shall serve for a term of four years and until a successor is appointed and qualifies; and
(2) the Chairmen of the Senate and House Judiciary Committees, or their legislative designees, for the terms for which they are elected.
(D) The chairman must be elected by the commission from its membership and shall serve for a term of two years. A chairman may be re-elected.
(E) Members currently serving as of July 1, 2005, shall continue to serve until the expiration of their term and may be reappointed as provided in subsection (B)(1).
(F) The commission may adopt an appropriate seal and promulgate regulations consistent with the provisions of this article to govern its operations and procedures and shall supervise the operations of the Office of Indigent Defense including all the divisions of the office.
(G) The commission:
(1) may establish divisions within the office to administer the services and programs as it considers necessary to fulfill the purposes of this article;
(2) shall develop rules, policies, procedures, regulations, and standards as it considers necessary to carry out the provisions of the article and comply with state law or regulations and the rules of the Supreme Court, including the nature and scope of services to be provided, the clientele to be served, and the establishment of criteria to be used in the determination of indigency and qualifications for services for indigent legal representation;
(3) shall cooperate and consult with state agencies, professional associations, and other groups concerning the causes of criminal conduct, the rehabilitation and correction of persons charged with and convicted of crimes, the administration of criminal justice, and the improvement and expansion of defender services;
(4) shall assist the public defenders throughout the State in their efforts to provide adequate legal defense to the indigent. This assistance includes, but is not limited to:
(a) the preparation and distribution of a basic defense manual and other educational materials;
(b) the preparation and distribution of model forms and documents employed in indigent defense;
(c) the promotion of and assistance in the training of indigent defense attorneys;
(d) the provision of legal research assistance to public defenders; and
(e) the provision of other assistance to public defenders as may be authorized by law;
(5) shall collect, maintain, review, and publish records and statistics for the purpose of evaluating the delivery of indigent defense representation in the State; and
(6) shall have the authority to negotiate and enter into contracts, as appropriate, with independent counsel for the provision of indigent defense services in cases in which a conflict of interest exists in a public defender office and in other cases in which indigent representation by independent counsel is necessary or advisable. This authority may be delegated by the commission to a circuit public defender, but is at all times subject to standards established by the commission.
(7) The commission shall establish and administer the rules and procedures for selection of members to serve on the Circuit Public Defender Selection Panels, and shall establish the rules and procedures under which the selection panels shall operate.
HISTORY: 1993 Act No. 164, Part II, Section 45C; 2005 Act No. 103, Section 2, eff July 1, 2005; 2007 Act No. 108, Section 7, eff June 21, 2007.