HAYS COUNTY, Texas — Hays County is finally getting a public defender's office.
At a meeting on May 24, the County voted to select Neighborhood Defender Services to serve as a vendor to fulfill the new public defender's office.
KVUE previously reported on the need for the office. The new public defender's office will supply lawyers to those who need them and create other resources. Currently, local defense attorneys in Hays County take turns representing people in need of a lawyer.
This comes as the Hays County Jail faces overcrowding issues.
The public defender’s office is being funded by $5 million from the American Rescue Plan.
One of the commissioners who pushed for a public defender's office previously told KVUE that she believes having a public defender’s office will allow cases to get processed more quickly, helping to keep people from staying in jail longer than needed. Commissioners say too many people are kept in the Hays County Jail because they can't afford bail.
Now that a vendor has been selected, it will take about one to two months for contract negotiations and another six months before the office will be able to take on cases.
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