Public defenders seeks Legislature's help to ease burden on attorneys

HELENA – Jenny Kaleczyc sits at her desk on the third floor of a downtown Helena building with an overflowing inbox and fresh stack of folders – 10 more cases to add to her current workload of 75.

"We lie awake worrying about what we couldn't get to, and wake up in the middle of the night making our to-do list for the next morning," the regional deputy public defender said.

Community News Service/Amy R. Sisk

Wade Zolynski, chief appellate defender for the Office of the State Public Defenders, testifies on a bill in front of a legislative panel. Public defenders are asking the Legislature for h...