1. The State Public Defender may, before being designated as counsel for that person pursuant to NRS 171.188, interview an indigent person when the indigent person has been arrested and confined for a public offense or for questioning on suspicion of having committed a public offense.

2. The State Public Defender shall, when designated pursuant to NRS 62D.030, 62D.100, 171.188 or 432B.420, represent without charge each indigent person for whom the State Public Defender is appointed.

3. When representing an indigent person, the State Public Defender shall:

(a) Counsel and defend the indigent person at every stage of the proceedings, including revocation of probation or parole; and

(b) Prosecute any appeals or other remedies before or after conviction that the State Public Defender considers to be in the interests of justice.

4. In cases of postconviction proceedings and appeals arising in counties in which the office of public defender has been created pursuant to the provisions of chapter 260 of NRS, where the matter is to be presented to the appellate court of competent jurisdiction pursuant to the rules fixed by the Supreme Court pursuant to Section 4 of Article 6 of the Nevada Constitution, the State Public Defender shall prepare and present the case and the public defender of the county shall assist and cooperate with the State Public Defender.

5. The State Public Defender may contract with any county in which the office of public defender has been created to provide representation for indigent persons when the court, for cause, disqualifies the county public defender or when the county public defender is otherwise unable to provide representation.

(Added to NRS by 1971, 1411; A 1973, 358; 1975, 41; 1977, 338; 1985, 1398; 2003, 1124; 2013, 1762; 2019, 2887)