Public defender changes discussed

Erica Johnson

Thursday, Sept. 25, 2003 | 9:35 a.m.

Public Defender Marcus Cooper on Wednesday updated Clark County judges on the office's progress in reorganizing the department in light of a report that pointed out glaring problems with the representation of indigent clients.

The address came during a monthly judge's meeting in District Judge Joseph Bonaventure's courtroom. District and Justice court judges attended the meeting that was not open to the public.

Gary Peck, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Nevada, said the meeting should have been open to the public, saying it was not fair that the people who would be most affected by the changes were not invited to attend.

"Given how contentious these issues have been over the years, it certainly is unhelpful to have secret meetings where interested parties are not invited to hear what is said and perhaps participate," he said.

Cooper began developing a plan to revamp the office after an evaluation earlier this year by the National Legal Aid and Defender Association. The report showed that attorneys in the office are too overworked to provide adequate representation for its clients.

Cooper said Wednesday's meeting was not to plan the reorganization of the office, but to help keep judges abreast on the steps the office is taking to try to improve.

"It was a very cordial and good dialogue that I had with the judges that were present," he said. "I advised them that we are taking more deliberate steps to try to reorganize the office."

Cooper said no concrete changes to the office had been finalized, but that a committee had been formed to address concerns raised in the report.

"We're on a much more deliberate pace now," he said. "We're working with the organization and discussing issues having to do with the representation of our clients."