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Why owning a 3-year old Kia may mean indigent defendants can't get a lawyer in Collin County

I've wondered before what the hell is the matter with Collin County justice and this latest report does little to boost my confidence. Now it turns out if you own a car or any other non-liquid asset worth more than $2,500 in Collin County, judges don't consider you indigent for purposes of having an attorney appointed in a criminal case! According to the McKinney Courier Gazette ("Determining the right to an attorney," Sept. 30):A new report compiled and published earlier this month by the Brennan Center for Justice at the New York University School of Law mentions Collin County as an example of a court system that ?explicitly require screeners to view the non-liquid assets of potential clients as available to pay for counsel? citing a financial consideration in the county?s fair defense plan for felony cases that defendants with assets of $2,500 or higher are not consider indigentBill Baumbach at the Collin County Observer adds:From what I've seen, too many defendants are in court without an attorney, and too many are forced to plea bargain either without an lawyer or because they can't afford one...continue to full post

Full post as published by Grits for Breakfast on September 30, 2008 (boomark / email).