Kentucky's Public Advocate, Ernie Lewis, To Retire September 1.
Here's the press release:
Ernie Lewis will Retire as Kentucky’s Public Advocate
DPA to begin search for successor
FRANKFORT, KY (April 16, 2008) The Department of Public Advocacy announced today that Ernie Lewis will retire as Public Advocate on September 1, 2008. Lewis has been a public defender with the Department of Public Advocacy since 1977. He was appointed Public Advocate by Governor Paul Patton in 1996 to a four year term and again in 2000. Governor Fletcher appointed Lewis to a third term.
During his 12 years as Public Advocate, Lewis accomplished his three primary goals. He completed the full-time system by converting to full-time 73 counties that had featured private lawyers on contract. Today, 30 offices cover all 120 counties. He also lowered caseloads per attorney from over 600 cases per lawyer down to 436 cases in 2007. Finally, he was able to raise defender entry level salaries from $23,000 to over $38,000. Lewis also served as Chair of the American Council of Chief Defenders in 2006-2007. In 2002, the Kentucky Bar Association named Lewis “Outstanding Lawyer of the Year.” In 2007, he received the "Champion of Indigent Defense Award" from the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.
Lewis leaves the Department of Public Advocacy deeply disappointed by the recent budget cuts passed by the General Assembly, and concerned that he will be leaving the Department significantly under funded. “While I have been able to achieve my most significant goals, I remain deeply concerned by the problems that remain. Defender caseloads are grossly in excess of national standards. Salaries need to be raised for new lawyers. We need a loan assistance program for public defenders in order to retain them after their initial training period. Finally, we need to fund a social worker for each office in order to find treatment alternatives for the clients we represent. Now we will enter next year with a budget that requires cutting back representation for thousands of cases to poor Kentuckians who are charged with a crime and have a constitutional right to counsel. I am profoundly disappointed with the failure of the 2008 General Assembly to fund a constitutionally adequate public defender system. While we have made much progress over the last 12 years, Kentucky continues to fund its indigent defense system at the bottom of the nation. ”
“Serving the people of the Commonwealth as a public defender for 31 years, and as Public Advocate for the last 12 years, has been a great honor. It has been a privilege to work with some of the best public servants I’ve ever known. I am in awe of our public defenders and defender staff who work hard every week for inadequate salaries and with excessive caseloads, defenders whose labor puts flesh on the US and Kentucky Constitutional rights to counsel. It has also been satisfying to bring justice and mercy to poor persons at the most vulnerable moment in their lives.”
Lewis will live in Frankfort with his wife, Margaret Townsley. He will continue to train public defenders, work as a consultant with public defender organizations from other states and represent some indigent clients. He will also devote himself to public policy work, particularly on criminal justice issues.
Ernie Lewis will Retire as Kentucky’s Public Advocate
DPA to begin search for successor
FRANKFORT, KY (April 16, 2008) The Department of Public Advocacy announced today that Ernie Lewis will retire as Public Advocate on September 1, 2008. Lewis has been a public defender with the Department of Public Advocacy since 1977. He was appointed Public Advocate by Governor Paul Patton in 1996 to a four year term and again in 2000. Governor Fletcher appointed Lewis to a third term.
During his 12 years as Public Advocate, Lewis accomplished his three primary goals. He completed the full-time system by converting to full-time 73 counties that had featured private lawyers on contract. Today, 30 offices cover all 120 counties. He also lowered caseloads per attorney from over 600 cases per lawyer down to 436 cases in 2007. Finally, he was able to raise defender entry level salaries from $23,000 to over $38,000. Lewis also served as Chair of the American Council of Chief Defenders in 2006-2007. In 2002, the Kentucky Bar Association named Lewis “Outstanding Lawyer of the Year.” In 2007, he received the "Champion of Indigent Defense Award" from the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.
Lewis leaves the Department of Public Advocacy deeply disappointed by the recent budget cuts passed by the General Assembly, and concerned that he will be leaving the Department significantly under funded. “While I have been able to achieve my most significant goals, I remain deeply concerned by the problems that remain. Defender caseloads are grossly in excess of national standards. Salaries need to be raised for new lawyers. We need a loan assistance program for public defenders in order to retain them after their initial training period. Finally, we need to fund a social worker for each office in order to find treatment alternatives for the clients we represent. Now we will enter next year with a budget that requires cutting back representation for thousands of cases to poor Kentuckians who are charged with a crime and have a constitutional right to counsel. I am profoundly disappointed with the failure of the 2008 General Assembly to fund a constitutionally adequate public defender system. While we have made much progress over the last 12 years, Kentucky continues to fund its indigent defense system at the bottom of the nation. ”
“Serving the people of the Commonwealth as a public defender for 31 years, and as Public Advocate for the last 12 years, has been a great honor. It has been a privilege to work with some of the best public servants I’ve ever known. I am in awe of our public defenders and defender staff who work hard every week for inadequate salaries and with excessive caseloads, defenders whose labor puts flesh on the US and Kentucky Constitutional rights to counsel. It has also been satisfying to bring justice and mercy to poor persons at the most vulnerable moment in their lives.”
Lewis will live in Frankfort with his wife, Margaret Townsley. He will continue to train public defenders, work as a consultant with public defender organizations from other states and represent some indigent clients. He will also devote himself to public policy work, particularly on criminal justice issues.
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