16 November 2003

So, if you are falsley accused of a felony in Minnesota and you are indigent the State will charge you $200 for the attorney you need to defend yourself. What a wonderful system. Minnesota is hoping to shake down its poor for $10.2 million over a period of two years.

In Virginia fees are assessed against indigent defendants if they lose their cases. While that does infringe somewhat on their right to counsel at least it puts in place an equitable shifting of the burden of the cost to the accuser if he cannot (or chooses not to) prove the charge which has been brought.

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