Madden v. Township of Delran

The opinion of the Court was delivered by

WILENTZ, C.J.

The question before us is whether this Court should order government to pay attorneys who are assigned by the municipal court to represent defendants too poor to pay for counsel. Assuming our power to do so, we nevertheless conclude that the answer is no, at least not now. We reach that conclusion in view of the substantial number of municipalities presently making such payments or providing public defenders without being so ordered; in view of the probable increase in the number of municipalities that will do so in the future; and in view…