{"data":{"id":"us-ok/okla.-stat.-tit.-19-19-138.1a","jurisdiction":"us-ok","citation":"Okla. Stat. tit. 19, § 19-138.1a","heading":"Office created - Office space and equipment - Training","body":"- Tort liability.\n\nA. In each county of this state possessing a population of over\n\nthree hundred thousand (300,000) according to the Federal Decennial\n\nCensus of 1990, or any succeeding Federal Decennial Census, there is\n\nhereby created the office of public defender, and such office shall\n\nbe charged upon the order of any judge of a court of record of such\n\ncounty, with the protection of the rights of any defendant to a\n\ncriminal action. The board of county commissioners of such county\n\nshall provide for necessary office supplies and equipment and\n\narrange for sufficient office space in the county building, used by\n\nthe courts of record of such county, to permit the efficient and\n\neffective operation of the office of public defender.\n\nB. Subject to available funding, the board of county\n\ncommissioners, along with the office of the public defender, shall\n\nprovide and coordinate training and continuing legal education for\n\nattorneys employed by the office of the public defender. Curriculum\n\nfor training required under this section shall include, but not be\n\nlimited to:\n\n1. Nationally recognized defense seminars; and\n\n2. Evidence-based practices regarding behavioral health and\n\ntreatment of defendants with substance abuse or mental health needs.\n\nC. For purposes of liability under the Governmental Tort Claims\n\nAct, any public defender, assistant public defender or employee\n\nthereof, who is employed under this section shall be deemed a state\n\nemployee.","path":["OK Code","Title 19"],"source_url":"https://www.oklegislature.gov/OK_Statutes/CompleteTitles/os19.pdf","current_through":"2026-08-14","vintage":"open-us-law v2026.08, retrieved 2026-09-14","retrieved_at":"2026-09-14T18:32:36Z","sha256":"be7fb07d8cd079951f028c057c4a93ec532f997d889a2d3b87f6fb87af37cd24","source_id":"us-ok","stale":false,"prev":"us-ok/okla.-stat.-tit.-19-19-138.19","next":"us-ok/okla.-stat.-tit.-19-19-138.2"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}