Houghton, Keweenaw and Baraga Counties to Open a Public Defenders Office

Those facing legal troubles and in need of an attorney in the Keweenaw will soon be able to receive more adequate representation. Plans are underway to open a non profit organization that would operate a Tri County Defenders Office… providing council to those who stand accused and cannot afford an attorney.

“The Current system right now is broken… for all 83 counties of Michigan.” Says, defense attorney Dave Gemignani, who has been addressing boards of commissioners in the Tri counties and explaining the need for a public defenders office that would provide better resources for defendants, regardless of their ability to pay. Those resources would include the use of expert witnesses, forensic analysis, and will also allow for the hiring of two more defense attorneys.

Gemignani says, “If they’re indigent, they still have that right to council provided with state assistance. It’s a constitutional right, it’s a fundamental right, and the state recognizes that, and I think the state has also recognized the deficiency in implementing indigent criminal defense through the years.”

All three counties have approved his proposal and each county will be contributing a portion of the necessary funding based on their average spending on indigent defense, while the state would be funding the remaining costs.

Gemignani also stated  that Michigan recently ranked 44th in the nation for adequately providing proper court appointed defense.