Memo

From:              Russell S. Cook, Acting Director, WVPDS

Re:                  Billing by Appointed Counsel

Date:               March 10, 2011

The Indigent Defense Commission has recommended that circuit judges be notified of elevated dollar billings by appointed counsel as they occur. WVPDS has created a monthly alert system, available through our web site, which will provide an ongoing billing status of those attorneys whose billings are in the top one hundred cumulatively, month by month. (The top ten service providers paid by direct expense vouchers are listed separately).

A cumulative report, listed by payee, has been in our annual reports since 1997. This system simply provides the same information on an ongoing basis throughout the year, on a cumulative month-by-month basis. The largest billers are shown, in descending order of total dollars paid and in a separate report, by Circuit and county in alphabetical order. Figures represent amounts paid for cases where they arise, regardless of where the payee’s office is located. 

Expenses are excluded in the attorney listing; dollar amounts are fees only. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions.