New month, same Week in Review. Happy Friday readers! We have a brand new tip for you today, an important Fee App memo and then it’s off to the races! Enjoy!
Important Fee App Information
There has been an increase in fee apps that have had errors in filing and causing delay in payment. We have gathered some information and created a memo to both Public Defenders and PAC to ensure accurate and timely filing for your fee apps, including which forms to file per your title and what to double check. Please see this memo for further instructions and feel free to download and print for your reference.
Tip of the Week
Venue – by Assistant Juvenile Defender, Terri Johnson
7B-1800 provides that adjudication shall take place in the county where the offense was alleged to have occurred. If the juvenile is in residential treatment or foster care in that district, disposition shall occur there as well unless the court finds that transfer would “serve the ends of justice or is in the best interests of the juvenile.”
Subsection (b) provides that the court may transfer disposition to the juvenile’s county of residence. If the Court does not transfer disposition, it must notify the chief district court judge in the district where the juvenile resides and shall transfer the matter if the chief district court judge requests it. If the court does not exercise its discretion to transfer a matter to the juvenile’s county of residence under 7B-1800(b)(1) or (b)(2), the court shall advise the juvenile of his/her right to transfer under 7B-1803(b)(3). If the juvenile requests transfer to his/her county of residence, the court shall transfer the matter to district where the juvenile resides for disposition.
Defenders should be aware of 7B-1800 and utilize venue where appropriate for both adjudication and disposition. Utilize motions to dismiss for improper venue prior to or during adjudication hearings. Additionally, the statute may be utilized for disposition to benefit a juvenile. Remember different counties may have different policies and transfer or retention of disposition should be considered by counsel carefully.
Counsel with cases where venue may be an issue may contact OJD for assistance connecting with attorneys in other counties to collaborate on those matters.
SAVE THE DATE!
Our October CLE will be October 29, 2020 from 2:30-3:30. The topic is Probation Violations & Post Supervision and will be presented by Mary Stansell, Juvenile Chief, Wake County Public Defender Office. Be on the look out for your official registration link. As always, this CLE will be free to the first 35 registrants. CLE is currently pending. Hope to see you there!
And lastly…
THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO ATTENDED OUR SEPTEMBER CLE “DEFENDING CHILDREN FROM ICE”!
We hope to see you face to face soon with trainings and CLEs and appreciate your constant support and registration every month!