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Panel questions expense of Drug Court attorney

By Deborah Travers Clemans

CATSKILL-Greene County Legislators are considering whether to fund an attorney to represent defendants in the county's new Drug Court.

Local attorney Janet Schwarzenegger approached members of the legislature's Public Safety Committee requesting compensation for her time spent with defendants in the Drug Court.

She is asking for $75 per hour with a cap of $10,000. Schwarzenegger said she does not anticipate that her services would reach the $10,000 mark.

Drug Court is an initiative of New York State Court of Appeals Chief Justice Judith Kay. Its intentions are to work with particular individuals charged with crimes related to alcohol or drug addiction.

The program is designed as an alternative to help drug and/or alcohol offenders avoid incarceration. The court involves a multi-disciplinarian team that includes representatives from Greene County Court including judges George J. Pulver Jr. and Daniel K. Lalor, the District Attorney's office, Probation, Twin County Alcohol and Substance Abuse, defendant representatives and others.

It creates a tightly monitored situation with the goal of helping the individual offender deal with and overcome their addiction and become a productive member of society.

Once an individual is arrested for a crime, the DA and Public Defender's office and private defense counsel recommend whether a person should go through the Drug Court system.

Although it has been invited to become part of the Drug Court team, the Public Defender's office is not a member at this time.

But Greene County Public Defender Greg Lubow personally spent four days of his private practice time attending training and helping establish the Drug Court for Greene County. He also sent one of his attorneys for training to help set up the family court Drug Court.

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