Chief Patron: Joannou
Co-Patron(s): Melvin
Portsmouth Appellate Office Pilot Project

Item 39 #4h

Language
Page 27, line 2, strike "$32,060,979" and insert "$32,806,259".
Page 27, after line 27, insert:
"C.  Out of the amounts provided for criminal indigent defense, $745,280 the second year from the general fund is appropriated to establish a pilot project for a regional appellate office in the City of Portsmouth.  This pilot project will commence on July 1, 2005, and continue until June 30, 2008."

Explanation
(This amendment provides $745,280 and 10.50 positions from the general fund in the second year to initiate an appellate office for the Indigent Defense Commission in the City of Portsmouth. The Indigent Defense Commission's staff report that during the 2004 calendar year, the agency's existing appellate office, located in Richmond, Virginia, represented 840 appeals of criminal convictions. Of this total number, 600 appeals involved cases from Tidewater Virginia. This amendment provides staff and office expenses ($50,000) for a satellite office in Portsmouth based upon the Court of Appeals use of a Tidewater regional hearing location.)