Office of the Legislative Auditor - Financial Audit Division

Overall Conclusion:

Generally, the Board of Public Defense’s internal controls were adequate, and the board complied with material finance-related legal provisions. However, the board could improve its controls by limiting certain expenditures and access to its personnel/payroll system.

Findings:

• The board did not adequately restrict access to the state’s payroll/personnel system.
• The Board of Public Defense used nearly $5,000 for a party for its retiring chief administrator.

Audit Scope:

Audit Period:
July 1, 2001, to June 30, 2004

• Payroll
• Grants

The Board of Public Defense is a judicial branch agency whose purpose is to provide quality criminal defense services to indigent defendants in the state of Minnesota. The board has seven members; three are appointed by the Governor and four are appointed by the Supreme Court. Public defenders handle over 185,000 cases each year. The board’s fiscal year 2004 expenditures totaled approximately $54 million. The majority of its expenditures was for payroll.