County moves to hire public defender

Cheyenne County could have a public defender in place by the first of the year.

Paul Schaub, Cheyenne County Attorney, has said in the 20 years he’s worked in the county, there’s never been a public defender.

Instead, Cheyenne County judges currently appoint lawyers to represent individuals charged with crimes who can’t afford to pay for counsel – and the county takes care of the bill.

In recent years, the annual cost of paying court-appointed lawyers has grown. Last year, the county paid out nearly $350,000, according to numbers provided the county clerk last summer. As of June, the number al...