MONTGOMERY COUNTY — Public defenders in Montgomery County have filed a lawsuit against county commissioners, claiming that 15,000 people a year are not receiving the legal representation they deserve.
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The lawsuit alleges that there are significant disparities in pay and resources between public defenders and prosecutors.
“It needs to be funded the same way the prosecutor’s office is; that’s not happening now,” said Kelly Lundrigan, a Cincinnati attorney involved in the case.
The public defenders represent low-income individuals in Montgomery County who cannot afford private legal representation when accused of a crime.
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They argue that the lack of resources affects their ability to adequately represent their clients.
According to the lawsuit, the bonuses paid to employees of the prosecutor’s office over the past five years have significantly exceeded those paid to public defenders, contributing to a disparity in total compensation.
Lundrigan stated that these disparities result in public defenders not having adequate time to prepare with their clients and having to handle extraordinarily large caseloads compared to prosecutors.
The lawsuit, filed in federal court, seeks compensation and backpay for current and former employees of the public defender’s office to level the playing field.
A spokesperson for the Montgomery County Commissioners stated that it is not the county’s practice to comment on pending litigation.
We will continue to follow this story.
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