The court is required by law to appoint attorneys to represent indigent defendants when potential punishment, if convicted, includes the possibility of incarceration. According to the staff memo accompanying the item, Reiser & Frushour was selected from a pool of three firms that responded to a request for proposals (RFP). Besides Reiser & Frushour, the two other firms submitting proposals were: Washington, Friese & Graney; and Huron Valley Law Association. A selection committee consisting of the three 15th District Court judges reviewed the proposals and ranked the respondents. The contract covers the term of Sept. 1, 2014 through June 30, 2015.

Prior to the vote, Christopher Taylor (Ward 3) reported that the contracting party is a client of his, so he asked for authorization to sit out the vote. The council voted to allow that.

This brief was filed from the city council’s chambers on the second floor of city hall, located at 301 E. Huron.