§ 54-61-03 — Commission director - Responsibilities

1. The commission shall appoint a director who must be chosen on the basis of training,
experience, and other qualifications considered appropriate. The director must be an
attorney licensed and eligible to practice law in this state at the time of appointment
and at all times during service as director. The director may be removed for cause by a
majority vote of commission members.
2. The director shall:
a. Assist the commission in developing standards for the delivery of adequate
indigent defense services;
b. Administer and coordinate delivery of indigent defense services and supervise
compliance with commission standards;
c. Recommend the establishment of public defender offices when considered
necessary and appropriate to the delivery of adequate indigent defense services;
d. Conduct regular training programs for contract counsel and public defenders;
e. Subject to policies and procedures established by the commission, hire the
professional, technical, and support personnel, including attorneys to serve as
public defenders, considered reasonably necessary for the efficient delivery of
indigent defense services;
f. Prepare and submit to the commission a proposed biennial budget for the
provision of indigent defense services; an annual report containing pertinent data
on the operation, needs, and costs of the indigent defense contract system and
any established public defender offices; and any other information as the
commission may require;
g. Submit the annual report required under subdivision f to the legislative council;
and
h. Perform other duties as the commission may assign.