Friday, April 3, 2026 |
Photo – Wyoming Public Defender logo – Bigfoot99 file photo
Saratoga officials discussed the cost of supplying a public defender, something the town has not had to do for decades.
During Wednesday evening’s Saratoga Town Council meeting, Mayor Chuck Davis announced that a resident has requested a public defender to represent her in a municipal court case. Mayor Davis added that the town is responsible for covering the attorney’s fees.
Mayor Davis said Saratoga’s prosecuting attorney, Robert Piper, estimated a public defender would charge around $75 an hour, while Municipal Judge Daniel Massey put the figure closer to $150. The mayor said he wasn’t sure what a public defender would charge, but the town is required to provide counsel for the defendant no matter the cost.
Councilman Mike Cooley said an attorney is likely to charge for milage as well, given they may come from Cheyenne or Casper.
Police Chief John Moore said a defendant is typically required to pay public defender fees if they’re found guilty.
Councilman Jerry Fluty asked why the town, and not the county, was handling the trial. Mayor Davis replied that the defendant is charged with violating a municipal ordinance and that the town is legally required to provide an attorney.
Police Chief John Moore added that residents may request a trial no matter the charge. In Saratoga, proceedings are limited to non‑jury, or bench, cases. However, defendants are still entitled to an attorney.
Chief Moore said any cases involving potential jail time, such as DUIs or felony theft, are remanded to the county court.
Councilman Bub Barkhurst asked if the town had ever provided a public defender. Chief Moore said he couldn’t recall a defendant requesting an attorney, adding that he’ll have to ask the town’s Clerk of Court, Marie Christen. Mayor Davis said the last municipal trial he could remember occurred over 30 years ago.
Mayor Davis said that by law, the town must provide a public defender when requested, which the resident has done.
The Saratoga Town Council voted to hire an attorney for the upcoming bench trial, with a cap of $150 an hour.
Bigfoot99 reached out to the Carbon County Assistant Public Defender’s office in Rawlins to ask about attorney fees. The staff member who answered said they do not speak to reporters and ended the call.
In Laramie, court‑appointed attorneys are limited to charging $100 an hour, up to a maximum of $1,000.
