Miss. Code Ann. § 99-18-1: Office of State Public Defender created; personnel; funding sources; qualifications, duties, removal of state defender; funding of agency expenses; deposit of monies into State General Fund.

(1) There is hereby created the Office of State Public Defender. The Office of State Public Defender shall consist of a State Defender who shall be appointed by the Governor with the advice and consent of the Senate for a term of four (4) years and staffed by any necessary personnel as determined and hired by the State Defender.

(2) Funding for the Office of State Public Defender shall come from funds available in the Capital Defense Counsel Fund, the Indigent Appeals Fund and the Public Defenders Education Fund as determined by the State Defender. The State Defender shall have the authority to transfer funds between the various funds to efficiently and effectively accomplish the mission of the Office of State Public Defender and its divisions.

(3) The State Defender must be a duly licensed attorney admitted to the practice of law in this state, have practiced in the area of criminal law for at least five (5) years and shall meet all qualifications to serve as lead trial and appellate counsel in death penalty cases as may be set by the Supreme Court of Mississippi. The salary of the State Defender shall be no more than the maximum amount allowed by statute for a district attorney.

(4) The State Defender may be removed by the Governor upon finding that the State Defender is not qualified under law, has failed to perform the duties of the office, or has acted beyond the scope of the authority granted by law for the office.

(5) The Office of State Public Defender shall be responsible for the administration, budget and finances of the Divisions of Capital Defense Counsel, Indigent Appeals and Public Defender Training, which shall be divisions of the Office of State Public Defender.

(6) The State Defender may simultaneously serve as State Defender and as director of one or more divisions but shall receive no additional compensation for doing so. Nothing in this chapter shall prohibit the State Defender from directly representing clients of the office. Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to prevent an employee of one (1) division of the Office of the State Public Defender from working, in whole or in part, for another division.

(7) The State Defender shall coordinate the collection and dissemination of statistical data and make such reports as are required of the divisions, develop plans and proposals for further development of a statewide public defender system in coordination with the Mississippi Public Defenders Task Force and to act as spokesperson for all matters relating to indigent defense representation.

(8) From and after July 1, 2016, the expenses of this agency shall be defrayed by appropriation from the State General Fund and all user charges and fees authorized under this section shall be deposited into the State General Fund as authorized by law.

(9) From and after July 1, 2016, no state agency shall charge another state agency a fee, assessment, rent or other charge for services or resources received by authority of this section.