(a) There is established the Office of the Public Defender for the purpose of representing indigent criminal defendants appearing before the Superior Court. The Office of Public Defender shall be comprised of two (2) divisions, one of which shall be located in the Island District of St. Thomas/St. John and the other of which shall be located in the Island District of St. Croix. Each division of the Office of the Public Defender shall be comprised of one (1) or more attorney(s) licensed to practice law in the Virgin Islands or specifically admitted to practice law in the Virgin Islands on behalf of the Office of the Public Defender and such secretarial, investigative and clerical personnel as are necessary or desirable as determined by the Chief Public Defender within the scope of legislative appropriations made therefor. All other money, gifts, properly, proceeds from rent, sales, and all other gifts and contributions, including but not limited to financial or property gifts received by the Office of Public Defender, shall be placed in the account or accounts, as authorized to be established under this section.
(b)
(1) The Chief Public Defender of the Office of the Public Defender may establish within the Office of the Public Defender an account or system of accounts and records, and an appropriate bank account for quarterly deposits of allotted funds and for prompt payment of operating expenses of the Office of the Public Defender except salaries and fringe benefits. All other money, gifts, property, proceeds from rent, sales, and all other gifts and contributions, including but not limited to financial or property gifts received by the Office of Public Defender, shall be placed in the account or accounts, as authorized to be established under this section. The use and disposal of the money and assets identified in this subsection shall be determined by the Public Defender's Administrative Board and the money and property identified in the account(s) shall remain available until expended in accordance to the authorization of the Board.
(2) The Director of the Office of Management and Budget shall make quarterly allotments of the annual appropriation to the Office of the Public Defender.
(3) The Chief Public Defender shall submit to the Department of Finance by the 30th day of the month following the end of each quarter a quarterly report detailing the amount, the nature and justification of each item of expenditure in the previous quarter. The report shall be accompanied by receipts and any other documentation required by the rules and regulations of the Department of Finance's or by other laws of the Virgin Islands. The Chief Public Defender shall compile and submit an annual report to the Department of Finance and to the Legislature by the 30th day of the month following the end of the fiscal year.