6th Circuit Court issues emergency plan if there’s a defense attorney shortage

HERMISTON – The state of Oregon is requiring every presiding judge in the circuit court system to develop a crisis plan due to a perceived shortage of public defenders. Umatilla County District Attorney Dan Primus said in a pat interview that there does not appear to be such a shortage in this county. Now, others have begun to question whether the shortage is really a statewide crisis.

In accordance with state requirements, Sixth Circuit Court Presiding Judge Dan Hill has created a crisis plan. Basically, he said that he will be notified when the public defense organizations in Umatilla and Morrow County are within 10 percent of their cap. If that happens, the court will determine if it will be necessary to cease issuing bench probation orders except for those charged with crimes against persons or driving under the influence of intoxicants.

Hermiston Police Chief Jason Edmiston said he believes the Department of Justice should be investigating whether the crisis exists.

“The question should be is there a damn crisis, and is it only in specific counties or is it imaginary and made up, as some articles are saying it is,” he queried.

Edmiston said that there is an erosion of accountability that is damaging the quality of life for the citizens.

“Never in my 26 years in the police department have I seen accountability so diminished,” he said. “We wonder why we are dealing with these social issues that law enforcement is somehow supposed to fix and we’re not getting any assistance from the courts or the state legislature.”

Edmiston said declaring such a crisis in Umatilla County will cause livability to suffer further as people would not face court action if charged with misdemeanors like trespassing and shoplifting.

“The police are damned if they do and damned when they can’t,” he said. “For our agency, we’re going to continue going forward and continue making arrests.”

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Elkhorn Media Group

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