CHAPTER 292

An Act to authorize appointment of a public defender in certain counties;
to prescribe the powers and duties of such public defender; and to
provide for compensation thereof.

frre .5&r401
1. § 1. The judge of the circuit court of any county having a population
of more than fifty-seven thousand, but less than sixty-five thousand which
adjoins a city having a population in excess of two hundred and thirty
thousand and in any county having a density of population in excess of four
thousand per square mile may, in his discretion, appoint a discreet and
competent attorney at law to act as public defender in such court and in all
courts not of record from which an appeal lies to such circuit court. Any
public defender so appointed shall receive such compensation as is pre-
scribed by law for attorneys appointed to defend indigent persons in a
case of felony, and such reasonable compensation as the judge may pre-
scribe in a case of misdemeanor. Such public defender shall serve at the
pleasure of such judge for the term of court for which appointed. _

. Any person brought before any such court on a charge of crime
may request the judge thereof to assign the public defender to represent
him, and, upon it being made to appear to the satisfaction of such judge
that such person is without funds to employ counsel, such judge shall order
the public defender to represent and defend such person.