Money saved on Municipal Court change

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Tuesday, Sept. 23, 2003 | 9:31 a.m.

A Las Vegas Municipal Court initiative has saved city taxpayers more than $450,000, Mayor Oscar Goodman and Municipal Judge Toy Gregory said Monday.

In July 2002 the city's elected leaders decided to end an existing contract with the Clark County public defender's office to provide in-court legal services for indigent clients.

The Municipal Court then contracted with individual attorneys, designated as public attorneys, to provide legal services to individuals charged with misdemeanor offenses who could not afford an attorney.

During the previous fiscal year, the city paid Clark County $864,253 for services provided by the public defender. In the first year of the new contract, the public attorneys cost the court less than half that amount, $413,487.