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Clark County is pleased to announce that for the first time in the position’s history, a woman will be appointed to lead the county’s public defender’s office. The Las Vegas public sector attorney, Nancy Lemcke, is currently working as an attorney for the Children’s Attorneys Project at the Legal Aid Center of Southern Nevada.
Lemcke was selected to lead the office by County Manager Kevin Schiller. He saw the potential in Lemcke and asked her to run the public defender’s office.
This office provides legal services to individuals who have been arrested and charged with crimes and do not have the money to afford a lawyer. Schiller felt that Lemcke was a good fit for this position since she has over 23 years of experience serving as a public defender.
During her career as a public defender, she’s represented clients in various situations including clients charged with felonies, capital and non-capital homicide, and minors in the juvenile court system. Over the years, she’s experienced practicing at all levels in courtrooms throughout Nevada including the Supreme Court.
Even better, Lemcke is honored and excited about her future role, making her a prime candidate. In a recent press release, Lemcke expressed her gratitude and intent to accept the position. She stated her excitement to be collaborating with her partners and stakeholders to create new, impactful ways to serve some of the most vulnerable members of our society.
Right now, the public defender’s office employs an average of 200 employees who represent about 25,000 people every year. Annually, the office is allocated a budget of $36.4 million. Since being established in 1966, the public defender’s office has helped provide legal counsel to those who need it most in a way that ensures their rights are upheld and respected.
There’s a huge reason why public defender’s offices exist across the nation. Our founding fathers knew how important it was for the common man to have a representative who knows the law regardless of the accused person’s ability to pay. Without this foundational right, justice would always be skewed in favor of those who could afford the best legal representation.
That’s why the Sixth Amendment was encoded into the Bill of Rights. This important amendment gives anyone accused of a crime the right to counsel, even if they can’t afford to pay for a lawyer.
Public funds provide the money that pays for an attorney when someone requests a state-appointed lawyer to help them with their case.
Here at LV Criminal Defense, our team of highly skilled lawyers takes your right to legal representation very seriously. We want you to be able to lean on our expansive knowledge of the law, years of experience, and courtroom experience to your advantage. If you need help with a recent criminal charge in Las Vegas or a nearby area, then we’re ready to assist.
Schedule a consultation with our team now to get started on creating your defense strategy.
