About the Office of Criminal Conflict and Civil Regional Counsel
Background
The five Regional Counsel offices were created by the legislature (Statute 27.511) in 2007 to provide legal representation to indigent persons in basically three classes of cases: 1) criminal conflict cases that the court grants the Public Defender’s motion to withdraw and appoints the OCCCRC, 2) dependency and civil cases, and 3) certain statutorily authorized civil commitment proceedings. OCCCRC also handles appeals and post conviction motions.
As noted under Statute 27.511, the Florida Legislature states “it is the intent of the Legislature to provide adequate representation in a fiscally sound manner, while safeguarding constitutional principles.”
Over the last few years, the Regional Counsel offices have saved Florida taxpayers millions of dollars while providing quality representation to its clients.
Saving Taxpayers Millions Over Cost of CAC
OCCCRC’s are a Legislative Success AND save taxpayers millions of dollars over the cost of CAC while providing quality representation.
Fiscal Year | Amount |
2004-2005 | $48.6M* |
2005-2006 | $68.2M* |
2006-2007 | $94.6M* |
2007-2008 | $120.7M |
2008-2009 | $75.5M |
2009-2010 | $79.6M |
2010-2011 | $79.6M |
2011-2012 | $76.9M |
* Indicates years prior to Regional Conflict Counsel Offices. |
Types of Cases Handled by the Agency (Per Statute 27.511):
Conflict Cases:
Cases the Public Defender has withdrawn from due to conflict:
- Felony
- Misdemeanor
- Criminal Traffic
- Criminal Contempt
- Violation of a County or Municipal Ordinance
- Juvenile Delinquency
- Violation of Probation or Community Control
- Motions seeking correction, reduction, or modification of a sentence under Rule 3.800, Florida Rules of Criminal Procedure
- Appeals for the above mentioned cases
- Death Penalty Appeals
Civil Cases:
- Dependency – Chapter 39
- Termination of Parental Rights – Chapter 63
- Tuberculosis Control – Chapter 392
- Guardian Advocate - Chapter 393.12
- Marchman Act - Chapter 397
- Involuntary Commitment (Baker Act) – Chapter 394
- Involuntary Commitment (Jimmy Ryce) – Chapter 394 Part 5
- Involuntary Commitment (Developmental Disabilities) – Chapter 393
- Adult Protective Services – Chapter 415
- Disability of Nonage of Minors Removed – Chapter 743
- Guardianship – Chapter 744
- Children and Families in Need of Services- Chapter 984
- Parental Notification Act if no private court-appointed counsel is available – Chapter 390
- Chapter 39 and Chapter 63 Appeals
Districts:
The agency is broken into five main offices, based on the Florida District Courts of Appeals. View a map of the Fifth District, including each office's location, on our information page.
Offices are:
- First District of Florida - View Web Site
- (1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 8th and 14th Circuits)
- Regional Counsel Candice Brower
- Second District of Florida - View Web Site
- (6th, 10th, 12th, 13th and 20th Circuits)
- Regional Counsel Ita M. Neymotin
- Third District Court of Florida - View Web Site
- (11th and 16th Circuits)
- Regional Counsel Eugene Zenobi
- Fourth District of Florida - View Web Site
- (15th, 17th and 19th Circuits)
- Regional Counsel Anthony Ryan
- Fifth District of Florida - Read more about the Fifth District
- (5th, 7th, 9th and 18th Circuits)
- Regional Counsel Jeffrey Deen