Bills › 89th General Assembly
Relating to reimbursement for legal assistance by an indigent person
Where it is now
- Done: IntroducedJanuary 28, 2022
- Stopped: SubcommitteeDied when the General Assembly ended
- Next: House committee
- Next: Passes the House
- Next: Senate committee
- Next: Passes the Senate
- Next: To the Governor
- Next: Signed into law
Died when the session ended The 2022 session adjourned on May 24, 2022, the General Assembly’s last regular session. Bills that didn’t pass both chambers died. What’s a funnel?
What’s in it
AI summary People who cannot afford a lawyer are currently required to pay the state back for the cost of their legal help. Under this new rule, the court would assume these people cannot afford to pay the state back unless the state proves otherwise with strong evidence. If the state cannot prove the person has the money, the person will not have to pay for their lawyer.1
Read the official explanation
This bill relates to reimbursement for legal assistance by an indigent person. Current law provides that a person who was granted an appointed attorney shall be required to reimburse the state for the total cost of legal assistance provided to the person. The bill provides that a rebuttable presumption exists that a person who has been determined to be indigent and who is granted an appointed attorney will experience a financial hardship if required to reimburse the state for the total cost of the person’s legal assistance, and the court shall order that such a person shall not be required to reimburse the state for the cost of legal assistance unless the presumption is rebutted by clear and convincing evidence presented by the state. If the presumption is rebutted, the person shall be required to reimburse the state for the total cost of legal assistance provided to the person.