Appointed counsel for indigent defendants; increase compensation.

HB 1005 would have increased minimum compensation for lawyers appointed to represent indigent defendants in Mississippi. It raised the base rate for circuit court cases from $3,000 to $4,000 and adjusted related fees for capital cases and appeals, while also referencing public defender pay scales. The bill directly affected appointed defense attorneys and indigent defendants in criminal cases across Mississippi counties. However, it died in committee on February 4, 2025, and did not become law.