Lincoln County Public Defender Advisory Committee August 25, 2026

The Lincoln County Public Defender Advisory Committee met on August 25, 2026, to organize its work on replacing the county’s contracted public-defense services with an in-house office. Members elected Dave Stewart chair and Aaron Johnson vice chair. The committee reviewed its statutory role in recommending and appointing the public defender, while the county commission retains authority over budget decisions. No contract award, hiring decision, or spending motion was made at this meeting.

The committee discussed preliminary budget figures, including an estimate of roughly $490,000–$500,000, a 2026 parent budget of $577,641, and a cited 2027 figure of $66,268; the relationship among these figures was not clarified in the transcript. The initial office concept was one public defender, one additional attorney, and two support staff, with office space and existing furniture potentially available at the justice center. Members emphasized setting the public defender’s salary range and qualifications, comparing Lincoln County and Pennington and Minnehaha County positions, and allowing the new public defender input into staff hiring. HR said a January 2027 start was possible but aggressive, and that approved job details and compensation would be needed by mid-October to advertise in time. The committee also discussed the current contracted caseload—about 575 felonies and 525 misdemeanors annually—and the need to manage a transition without interrupting representation.