Opinion No. Oag 105-77, (1977)

HOWARD B. EISENBERG, State Public Defender

You have asked whether the Public Defender Board may, in its discretion, contract with Wisconsin Indian Legal Services Center, Inc. (WILS), for the provision of legal services under ch. 977, Stats., as created by sec. 1600, ch. 29, Laws of 1977. In my opinion it may not.

Newly created sec. 977.03, Stats., provides in part:

"The board may enter into contracts with federal governmental agencies and local public defender organizations for the provision of legal services under this chapter." (Emphasis added.)

Two questions are therefore involved:

1) Is…