By JAMES PINKERTON
HOUSTON CHRONICLE

July 27, 2010, 9:17PM

Harris County commissioners on Tuesday approved a reworked $4.1 million grant application to start a public defender office, a plan supported by a majority of the district judges.

County leaders will learn Aug. 25 if their program will receive state funding to help with initial costs. If the grant is approved, the revised plan for a hybrid defender system to begin operation next February would utilize a mix of private lawyers appointed by judges and attorneys working for the public defender office. So far, 20 of the 22 district judges say they will use public defenders for cases in their courtrooms.

The county's earlier grant application asked for $4.4 million, but was criticized for not being expansive enough. Previously, the county proposed a defender office that would only be used in 11 of 22 district criminal courts and would only be used for lower-level felony defendants.

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