Opinion ID: 2582220
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: Legislative Intent for Recovery of Attorney Fees

Text: With regard to the legislature's intent to provide reimbursement to appointed counsel, BIDS directs this court's attention to the Aid to Indigent Defendants Act, K.S.A. 22-4501 et seq. ; see K.S.A. 2005 Supp. 22-4504(c) (when counsel appointed for defendant, cost of legal services may be entered as judgment against defendant if convicted and found to be financially able to pay; action to recover may be brought against any person to whom defendant transferred or conveyed any of defendant's property without adequate monetary consideration after date of commission of crime). BIDS contends that in the present case, Wright's money was transferred to Shawnee County, and that, in filing its claim, BIDS was following up on its statutory obligation to attempt to recoup fees for the State of Kansas. K.S.A. 2005 Supp. 22-4504(c) is inapplicable to this case. At the time BIDS filed its claim, Wright had neither been convicted of a crime nor been found financially able to pay any amount of attorney fees. In addition, Wright had not transferred or conveyed the $895 to anyone after the date of the alleged crime; instead the Topeka Police Department seized the 3.15 grams of cocaine and the money immediately upon Wright's arrest on March 12, 2004, which was the same date as his offense. K.S.A. 2005 Supp. 22-4504 did not convey to BIDS the authority to file a claim against the forfeiture of the property seized in this case. K.S.A. 2005 Supp. 22-4504 provides no assistance to BIDS's arguments.