Albert D. Brault, Elsa R. Kaufmann, J. James
McKenna, Theodore A. Miller.

J. Theodore Wieseman, District Public Defender
District No. 7: Anne Arundel County
Bruce C. Williams, Chairperson

Judith Billage, William A. Franch, Metric M.
Smith, Edwin A. Lechowicz.

Stephen Harris, District Public Defender
District No. 8: Baltimore County
Gerard W. Wittstadt, Chairperson

Charles E. Foos III, Michael J. Lambros, C. Vic-
tor McFarland, Raymond E. Pryor.

Paul J. Feeley, District Public Defender
District No. 9: Harford County
Edward D. Higinbothom, Chairperson

Judith C. H. Cline, Stanley Getz, John S.
Landbeck, Jr., E. Edward Toscani.

Henry C. Engel, Jr., District Public Defender
District No. 10: Howard and Carroll counties

Guy J. Cicone, Chairperson

Nathan Greene, Marker J. Lovell, William R.
MacDonald, one vacancy.

Orrin J. Brown III, District Public Defender

District No. 11: Frederick and Washington
counties

Fred C. Wright III, Chairperson
James F. Strine, three vacancies.
William R. Leckemby, Jr., District Public Defender
District No. 12: Allegany and Garrett counties
Paul J. Steakem, Chairperson

Donald W. Mason, Matthew J. Mullaney, Harry
I. Stegmaier, William Walsh.

Michael Robert Burkey, District Public Defender

The terms of all members of the District Advisory
Boards for the Public Defender System expire on Janu-
ary 1, 1984.

Tower Building
222 East Baltimore Street
Baltimore 21202 Telephone: 659-4830

The Public Defender System was created in
1971 and began operation on January 1, 1972
(Chapter 209, Acts of 1971). It provides counsel

Independent Agencies/387

for indigents, including related necessary services
and facilities, in criminal and juvenile proceedings
within the State. The System assures effective as-
sistance and continuity of counsel to indigent ac-
cused taken into custody and indigent defendants
in criminal and juvenile proceedings before the
Courts of the State. The Office of the Public De-
fender administers and assures enforcement of
these provisions.

The Board of Trustees of the Public Defender
System consists of three members appointed by
the Governor for three-year terms. Two members
must be active attorneys-at-law. The Board elects
its own chairperson.

The Public Defender is appointed by the Board
of Trustees and serves at the Board's pleasure. He
must be an attomey-at-law, admitted to practice
law in Maryland by the Court of Appeals, and
must have engaged in the practice of law for a
period of five years prior to appointment. The
Public Defender, with the approval of the Board
of Trustees, appoints the Deputy Public Defender
and one District Public Defender for each Dis-
trict of the District Court who must possess the
same qualifications as the Public Defender. Assis-
tant Public Defenders may also be appointed by
the Public Defender with the advice of the Dis-
trict Public Defenders.

Each District has a District Advisory Board
composed of five members. One member is the
judge of the Circuit Court or the District Court
in the district. The other four must be active at-
torneys-at-law and are appointed by the Gover-
nor for three-year terms. The Governor annually
designates the chairperson of each board.

The Public Defender provides legal representa-
tion for indigent defendants in criminal or juve-
nile proceedings requiring the presence of counsel
before a commissioner or judge, post-conviction
proceedings, and any other proceeding where in-
carceration may result pursuant to a judicial
commitment of individuals to public or private
institutions.

In 1975 the Public Defender installed three Di-
visions in the headquarters office, i.e., Mental
Health, Appellate, and Inmate Services. The
Mental Health Division furnishes counsel to all
persons involuntarily committed to facilities un-
der the jurisdiction of or licensed by the State
Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. The
Appellate Division processes all appeals to the
Appellate Courts. The Inmate Services Division
offers legal assistance to all indigent inmates who
have legal problems concerning their incarcera-