Duties of public defender.

5. It shall be the duty of the Public Defender to provide for the legal representation of any indigent defendant who is formally charged with the commission of an indictable offense without expense to the defendant. All necessary services and facilities of representation (including investigation and other preparation) shall be provided in every case. The factors of need and real value to a defense may be weighed against the financial constraints of the Public Defender's office in determining what are the necessary services and facilities of representation. Representation as herein provided for shall include any direct appeal from conviction and such post-conviction proceedings as would warrant the assignment of counsel pursuant to the court rules. Representation for indigent defendants (a) may be provided in any federal court in any matter arising out of or relating to an action pending or recently pending in a court of criminal jurisdiction of this State and (b) may be provided in any federal court in this State where indigent defendants are charged with the commission of a federal criminal offense and where the representation is under a plan adopted pursuant to the Criminal Justice Act of 1964 (18 U.S.C. s. 3006A). The Public Defender also shall provide for the legal representation of any eligible inmate who is serving a custodial prison sentence and requests assistance in petitioning the Superior Court for compassionate release in accordance with section 1 of P.L.2020, c.106 (C.30:4-123.51e). L.1967, c.43, s.5; amended 1987, c.170, s.2; 2020, c.106, s.2; 2023, c.69, s.1.