State agrees to pay $142,625 in legal bills for inmates’ lawsuits

Thursday, Oct. 14, 1999 | 9:52 a.m.

The board, chaired by Gov. Kenny Guinn, made no comment as it agreed Wednesday to make payments for cases dating to 1996.

State Budget Director Perry Comeaux said the board had no choice but to make the payments because the lawyers were ordered by judges to represent inmates.

Unless there are extenuating circumstances, Comeaux said the state normally does not pay more than $750 per case for a lawyer to represent an inmate.

But typically judges figure out what the lawyers should be paid and obligate the state to make the payments, he added.

Payments approved Wednesday ranged from $1,100 to more than $13,000. Three payments totaling more than $19,000 were authorized to Las Vegas lawyer David Schieck, who often represents inmates.

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