LAW OFFICES OF JULIANNE M. HOLT, PUBLIC DEFENDER, 13 TH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT PROGRESS REPORT 2017 STRATEGIC PLAN

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1 LAW OFFICES OF JULIANNE M. HOLT, PUBLIC DEFENDER, 13 TH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT PROGRESS REPORT 2017 STRATEGIC PLAN Vision Equal Justice and Due Process for All Mission Our office is committed to efficiently providing our clients with effective legal representation, and treating our clients, our employees, and our community with dignity and respect. Core Values Professionalism Integrity Faithfulness Excellence Attentiveness Innovation Purpose and Scope of the Strategic Plan The purpose of the strategic plan is to provide a plan of action to guide the Public Defender s Office. The plan is organized around four primary issues, which are intended to advance our mission and core values. Each primary issue is supported by specific goals and strategies to guide leadership in resolving and accomplishing our strategic goals. This progress report gives details on specific accomplishments toward strategic goals in calendar year

2 Key Strategic Initiatives & Priorities Provide clients with quality legal representation. Ensure caseload levels for all attorneys are reasonable and ethical. Ensure each attorney has the passion, expertise, ability, and acumen necessary to provide competent and ethical representation. Ensure the office has the resources necessary to fulfill the constitutional mission of providing competent and effective representation of indigent persons in a cost-effective, efficient manner. Provide clients with quality legal representation. a) To ensure use of the protections of the speedy trial rule for our clients benefit: Public Defender Julianne Holt and the Bureau Chief, Rocky Brancato continued reviewing requests for case continuances with attorneys prior to filing motions to continue trial dates. Division Chief regularly monitor case assignments in each division and were regularly provided with information regarding the frequency of requests for continuance, clients in jail for more than 365 days, and stand-alone 3 rd degree felony cases pending longer than 180 days. Juvenile Division Chiefs ensured speedy trial is rarely waived outside of a diversion or similar agreement in order to keep caseload manageable, as resources have not increased due to legislative constraints. Public Defender Holt and Chief Brancato increased focus and attention on Juvenile Drug Court to ensure advocacy of clients best legal interests (including speedy trial) and ensure clients were receiving appropriate services. The Misdemeanor Division Chief and Lead Trial Attorney continued case conferences with Assistant Public Defenders on cases pending more than 90 days since appointment in order to develop case strategies to ensure timely resolution that protects clients rights and did not place clients at risk. The Misdemeanor Division Chief and lead trial attorney sat with and mentored misdemeanor attorneys during trials in order to enhance training opportunities. b) The Cross-Circuit project between the 10 th and 13 th Circuits was concluded. 2 pleas in Hardee County, 1 plea in Polk and one case went to trial and resulted in a not guilty verdict in Polk County. c) Public Defender Holt and FBHIU Attorneys collaborated with the Chief Judge and the Office of the State Attorney to create a Circuit Criminal Mental Health Docket. Specialization in areas related to mental health improves outcomes by decriminalizing mental illness, reducing recidivism and coordinating available resources. Mental Health Court Assistant Public Defender Ashley Roura undertook a new caseload of 42 Mental Health Pre-Trial Intervention (PTI) cases; 50 Florida Statute cases which require annual reviews of individuals committed to residential services with the Agency for Persons with Disabilities with the objective to transfer appropriate cases from Criminal Court to Mental Health Court; 230 Progress Report

3 Florida Statute Chapter 916 Incompetence to Proceed cases and 56 Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity cases. d) A Mental Health Case Manager position was created and staffed to support clients with serious mental illness whose complex issues benefit from close case management and treatment coordination in addition to legal advocacy. e) Veterans Court Assistant Public Defender Lauren Nayrouz and Case Manager Jason Gonzalez oversaw 462 new referrals and 394 completed referrals to the Veterans Services Case Manager, and 108 new referrals to and 63 successful completions of Veterans Treatment Court. f) Public Defender Julianne Holt and Misdemeanor/Juvenile Bureau Chief Rocky Brancato worked with county stakeholders to increase the use of the Juvenile Civil Citation program and to expand options for eligibility, to include a new Delinquent Act Citation Pilot Project for juveniles with no criminal history charged with misdemeanor-level possession of marijuana or paraphernalia. g) Efforts were focused on resolving several Non-Capital Homicide cases in order to reallocate resources to litigation and resolution of Death Penalty cases; 8 resolved: 3 jury trials with 1 not guilty; 1 guilty of a lesser included offense and 1 guilty as charged; 5 entered pleas to lesser charges. h) Capital attorneys worked proactively to address Capital Homicide cases where the state initially sought the death penalty. Due to their extensive efforts directed at both mitigation and litigation, the State Attorney s Office withdrew their Notice of Seeking Death Penalty on 8 cases. Of the 8 cases; 4 were tried to verdict, 2 cases plead, and 2 are pending trial as non-death penalty cases. i) APD Paula Adams led efforts to litigate and monitor Juvenile Prolific Offenders as defined by Florida Statute (j)1-3. APD Adams reviews a list received every week from DJJ of the kids that are flagged by them as prolific offenders. APD Adams reviewed the statute, drafted a motion and met with the other juvenile chiefs regarding areas of litigation attacking the classification. j) The Public Defender s Office collaborated with the Hillsborough County Sheriff s Office and Criminal Justice stakeholders with the Adult Pre-Arrest Diversion Program launched July 1, k) The Public Defender s Office continued its pilot project partnership with the Clerk of Court, State Attorney s Office, Court Administration and other criminal justice partners looking at reducing fines, costs, and fees owed by county residents and helping people get their driver licenses reinstated: Driver License Reinstatement Program and Veterans Stand-down Outreach. l) Total case investigative efforts increased in 2017 with 8,103 investigations and social services requests versus 6,887 in Ensure caseload levels for all attorneys are reasonable and ethical. a) Public Defender Julianne Holt brought in experienced attorneys to guide Juvenile Resentencing cases in the persons of Assistant Public Defender Deborah Goins and volunteer former Assistant Public Defender Christopher Watson. Progress Report

4 As a result of multiple United States Supreme Court and Florida Supreme Court cases, juvenile offenders who were sentenced as adults were provided the opportunity for resentencing. The resentencing is to consider features of adolescence, biological development and possibility of rehabilitation. In 2017, ten juvenile offenders received sentence reductions with four attaining release from Florida State Prison. b) With the retirement of long-standing Social Services Chief Carolyn Lali Fulgueira, Public Defender Julianne Holt brought Dana Greco Tilton on board to be the Social Services and Investigation supervisor. Dana Greco Tilton is an original member of the Social Services department, implemented in Ms. Tilton has a 25+ year history of working with juveniles and adults suffering from an array of substance abuse, emotional, behavioral and mental health issues. She firmly believes in a holistic approach in the representation and support of our clients. Ms. Tilton is a proud alumna from the University of South Florida, holding a bachelor s degree in Criminal Justice, a master s degree in Education, and also a master s certification in Addictions and Substance Abuse Counseling. She is a certified teacher with endorsements in reading and ESOL (English Speakers of Other Languages). c) Public Defender Julianne Holt continued to work with the Public Florida Defender Association and prepare to present data as a means to address persistent underfunding and more reasonable staffing levels for assistant public defenders. Ensure each employee has the passion, expertise, ability, and acumen necessary to provide competent and ethical representation. a) Interoffice and transition training was effectuated by Mental Health and Veteran s Court personnel to ensure non-specialty court attorneys and personnel develop expertise in the identification of individuals and cases appropriate for the specialty dockets. The specialty court personnel also assist office-wide with the development of relevant mitigation for cases involving veterans or those suffering from mental illness. b) The Public Defender s Office partnered with other members of the Hillsborough County Criminal Justice community to host the first Hillsborough County Mental Health Summit in January Mandatory attendance for all attorneys with the Public Defender s and State Attorney s Office resulted in Continuing Legal Education (CLE) credits. c) FBHIU Chief Marie Marino participated in the Hillsborough County Bar Association Decriminalization of Mental Illness Panel in May 2017 to promote understanding of the intersection of mental health and the criminal justice system. d) Bureau Chief Brancato and the Division Chiefs continued to present skills training programs with practical applications. Misdemeanor and Juvenile Division Chiefs coordinated NITA training programs for entry-level attorneys and DUI cases. Felony NITA training was implemented. These Division Chiefs also worked with Capital attorneys Dana Herce-Fulgueira and Jennifer Spradley to develop a comprehensive plan for cross-training and continuing education for attorneys handling cases involving capital sexual battery and felony child abuse cases. Progress Report

5 Continuing Legal Education training issues included Ethics; Jury Selection/Voir Dire; Conflicts of Interest; Ineffective Assistance of Counsel Issues; Persuasive Speaking; Public Access to Judicial Branch Records; Minimization of the Filing of Sensitive Information; Bond Motions; Confidential Informant Issues; Sex Offender. Registration; and Improving Perception, Reality and Professionalism; Implicit Bias Attorneys were also trained specifically on Army Waiver Regulations related to Waivable and Non-waivable Enlistment Criteria. Specialized Continuing Legal Education for death penalty cases was obtained at the Florida Public Defenders Association Life Over Death conference. e) Misdemeanor and Juvenile Division Chiefs continued actively reviewing and editing attorneys motions prior to filing and increased courtroom observation and case conferencing to encourage attorney development. f) APD Michelle Book and APD Lillian Odongo completed leadership development training which is provided to division chiefs and prospective division chiefs. Ensure the office has the resources necessary to fulfill the constitutional mission of providing competent and effective representation of indigent persons in a cost-effective, efficient manner. a) Public Defender Julianne Holt actively participated in the Legislative Session to promote local needs and concerns with regard to budget, technology, human resources, and substantive law, and was successful in efforts to obtain additional funding for circuitspecific projects. She was also successful in working with the county to increase funding for staffing mental health diversion. b) FBHIU Chief Marie Marino collaborated with Hillsborough County and Criminal Justice stakeholders to obtain a Reinvestment Grant to serve clients with serious mental illness who meet eligibility criteria for the Felony Mental Health Pre-Trial Intervention Diversion Program. The grant allows for increased resources for clients with serious mental illness and 3 rd degree felony charges in order to promote successful outcomes and reduce recidivism. c) FBHIU Chief Marie Marino spearheaded efforts to increase client eligibility for the Hillsborough County Health Care Plan which provides insurance coverage for those with mental health and substances abuse conditions. d) FBHIU Chief Marie Marino consulted with the Central Florida Behavioral Health Network and Hillsborough County resources regarding unmet needs and residential placement options for high need, high utilizer individuals of the Baker Act system leading to the creation of Northside s Intermediate Care Facility. e) FBHIU Chief Marie Marino negotiated with Argosy University to provide treatment for Direct Filed Juvenile clients who are incarcerated. The goal is to provide mental health treatment while developing mitigation for use in their pending case. f) FBHIU Chief Marie Marino identified, advocated and secured funding for a Mental Health Diversion Specialist Position at the Public Defender s Office funded through a Progress Report

6 Misdemeanor Mental Health Pre-Booking Diversion Collaborative contract between the Hillsborough County Jail (Sheriff s Office) and Hillsborough County Criminal Justice. g) FBHIU Chief Marie Marino collaborated with Hillsborough County stakeholders through the Healthy Hillsborough Collaborative to develop a pilot program addressing those with serious mental illness who are High Need/High Utilizers of jail, emergency room and Baker Act Facilities. The pilot program has begun with existing resources while seeking to secure additional funding in the future. h) The Support Supervisors, Operations staff, and Information Technology successfully worked together in initiating testing and implementation for projects resulting in increased automation: Automated document sharing to allow for specified documents from the State Attorney s Office to be added to STAC images without employee processing, allowing us to better use employee resources for data entry and data quality. Human Resources BOMS XP was converted to web-based. Information Technology employed cloud storage for increased security Increased hurricane preparedness resulted in backup servers being installed at a Hillsborough County Sheriff s Office facility to ensure uninterrupted service to clients in the event of a natural disaster. The Administrative Imaging Project was completed. i) Completed installation of the 8 th floor mock courtroom and training facility. j) The Public Defender represented Hillsborough County in Tallahassee during various government and legislative sessions: Hillsborough County Board of County Commission meetings Florida House of Representatives Appropriations Committee; Civil Justice and Claims Committee; Criminal Justice Committee; Criminal Justice Subcommittee; Judiciary Committee; Appropriations Committee; Justice Appropriations Subcommittee; Public Integrity & Ethics Committee; Rules & Policy Committee; Florida Senate Appropriations Committee; Judiciary Committee; Criminal Justice Committee; Criminal Justice Subcommittee; Criminal and Civil Justice Subcommittee; Ethics and Elections Committee; Governmental Oversight & Accountability Committee; Rules Committee; General Government AP Subcommittee Joint Legislative Auditing Committee; Budget Committee; Public Counsel Oversight Constitutional Revision Commission Employee Activities and Events: Pot-O-Gold St. Patrick s Day raffle basket Independence Day raffle basket Halloween raffle basket Halloween candy jar contest Alumni spirit day Bake-it-off: holiday dessert contest Deck-the-halls office decorating contest Progress Report

7 PD/SAO coffee social. An effort to get to know attorneys serving each office and establish professional relationships. Memorial Day hotdog luncheon Office Holiday social Defend This!!! Monthly employee newsletter 28 th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day parade Community Service Events, Activities, and Engagement: Chief s Challenge: Bowl for Kids Sake Great American Teach-In Greater Bethel M.B. Church Homeless & Community Service Day Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service: Homeless and Community Service Day Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service: Public Safety Teen Summit Operation Conversation: Community Basketball Challenge Paint Your Heart Out Tampa Boards and Professional Associations: Boys & Girls Club of Tampa Bay Florida Public Defender Association DUI Counterattack Board George Edgecomb Bar Association Goldburg-Cacciatore Inn of Court Hillsborough County Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers Hillsborough Association of Women Lawyers Hillsborough County Anti-Drug Alliance board Hillsborough County Association of Criminal Defense Hillsborough County Bar Association Institutional Review Board Safe & Sound Hillsborough Phoenix House of Florida Public Safety Coordinating Council PACE Center for Girls Homeless Initiative/Homeless Outreach League of Women Voters Juvenile Justice Circuit Advisory Board Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative Executive Committee Membership Bay Area Legal Pro Bono Service Awards Ceremony Progress Report