Travis County has begun providing guaranteed legal representation to arrested individuals who cannot afford a lawyer, following an ACLU lawsuit. Currently, about half of those arrested daily receive representation, with hopes to fully staff the program by July 1. However, public defenders are paid less than both prosecutors and their counterparts in other counties, creating challenges in recruitment. The county approved a starting salary increase to $85,500 for early-career attorneys, but borrowing funds for this move has raised retention concerns among existing staff.
The county's entry-level lawyers are being paid significantly less than their counterparts, impacting the recruitment and retention of qualified public defenders.
While Travis County has made progress toward providing guaranteed legal representation, inadequate pay for public defenders threatens the sustainability of this new program.
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