§159. Public defender service regions

A. The board is authorized to establish a maximum of eleven public defender service regions or "service regions" in the state of Louisiana to provide service to the board in fulfilling the duties of the board, as provided by this Part. The regions shall be defined by grouping contiguous judicial districts in a manner that provides for the most efficient, feasible, practical, and effective supervision and assistance to the districts by the regional office.

B. A regional office shall be maintained in each service region established by the board.

C. The service region shall provide supervision over the district offices, within that region, including budgetary and operational matters as provided in this Part.

D. The service region shall provide, as authorized by the board, such additional services as the board finds necessary to providing competent counsel in the judicial districts within the region, including but not limited to capital defense services, expert witness resources, and conflict counsel. Such additional services as the board deems necessary or advisable may be provided to clients through the regional offices.

E. Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, no service region shall be established which has a population in excess of five hundred thousand, as determined by the latest federal decennial census, unless a single judicial district having a population in excess of five hundred thousand, as determined by the latest federal decennial census, is established as a service region consisting of that single judicial district.

Acts 2007, No. 307, §1.