§ 15421

The State Public Defender is authorized to represent any person who is not financially able to employ counsel in the following matters:

(a) An automatic appeal to the Supreme Court under Section 11 of Article VI of the California Constitution and subdivision (b) of Section 1239 of the Penal Code.

(b) A petition for a writ of certiorari to the United States Supreme Court with respect to a judgment on the automatic appeal to the Supreme Court under Section 11 of Article VI of the California Constitution and subdivision (b) of Section 1239 of the Penal Code.

(c) An appeal in a noncapital, criminal case as long as the State Public Defender is fulfilling the responsibilities to provide representation imposed pursuant to subdivisions (a) and (b), or the State Public Defender determines that taking a limited number of those cases is necessary for staff training.

(d) Any other proceeding in which a person is entitled to representation at public expense where providing this representation is in furtherance of the State Public Defender’s primary responsibilities, as set forth in Section 15420, or to address legal claims that impact the resolution of death penalty cases.

(Amended by Stats. 2020, Ch. 29, Sec. 8. (SB 118) Effective August 6, 2020.)