Jackson County Prosecuting Attorney's Office Missouri Cases

Ruth Petsch, District Defender, and the Area 16 Public Defender Office appealed a presiding judge's order denying their request for relief under section 600.063, which sought a finding that two public defenders had excessive caseloads preventing effective assistance of counsel. The District Defender also challenged the constitutionality of sections 600.062 and 600.063. The appellate court affirmed the presiding judge's order, holding that such orders are reviewed for abuse of discretion and that the constitutional challenge was not properly raised in this statutory conference proceeding. The court found no abuse of discretion in the presiding judge's determination that the public defenders did not have caseload issues.