Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties

Gogebic County Court considers pay raise for attorneys

By ZACHARY MARANO

[email protected]

BESSEMER — The Gogebic County Board of Commissioners heard a court update from District Court Judge Michael Pope at their regular meeting on Wednesday.

Pope said that the Michigan Indigent Defense Commission recently found that the state’s criminal defense system was not up to standard. As part of the state’s changes to improve the system, he said that public defenders are required to receive continuing education on how to represent their clients.

He said that the state is also increasing what public defenders are being paid. He said that their hour...