Tennessee § 8-14-104 - District public defender — Duties.

§ 8-14-104. District public defender — Duties.

The district public defender has the duty and responsibility of representing indigent persons for whom the district public defender has been appointed as counsel by the court. Either personally or through an assistant district public defender, the district public defender shall counsel with the accused and represent such accused in the trial court. If the accused is aggrieved by the judgment of the trial court imposing a sentence of imprisonment, or dismissing a habeas corpus or post-conviction petition, the district public defender shall advise such accused fully concerning rights of appellate review. If the accused desires to appeal to an appellate court, the district public defender shall seasonably take all steps necessary to perfect the appeal, including a new trial motion when required and the filing of all essential transcripts and records with the clerk of the appellate court. The district public defender has the duty and responsibility of handling all appeals filed by an indigent person represented in the trial courts of this state. At such times and in such form and manner as may be directed by the chairs of the judiciary committee of the house of representatives and the judiciary committee of the senate, each executive director of the district public defenders conference shall submit reports reflecting the number, kind, status, and disposition of all cases and proceedings. Acts 1989, ch. 588, § 4; 1990, ch. 751, §§ 1, 2; 1996, ch. 610, § 4; T.C.A § 8-14-204 ; Acts 2019, ch. 345, § 147; 2019, ch. 420, § 4. Code Commission Notes. This section was renumbered from § 8-14-204 to § 8-14-104 by authority of the Code Commission in 2016. Amendments. The 2019 amendment by ch. 345, substituted “judiciary committee of the house of representatives” for “criminal justice committee of the house of representatives” in (d). The 2019 amendment by ch. 420, substituted “criminal justice committee of the house of representatives and the judiciary committee of the senate, each executive director” for “judicial council, each executive director” in (d). Effective Dates. Acts 2019, ch. 420, § 27. May 21, 2019. Attorney General Opinions. The district public defender has no duty to appear at “drug court” staffings and appearances unless the defendant's liberty is directly at stake in the particular proceeding involved, OAG 03-009, 2003 Tenn. AG LEXIS 13 (1/24/03).