Welcome to the Criminal Conflict and Civil Regional Counsel, Fifth District Office Website
Jeffrey D. Deen, Regional Counsel
The Regional Counsels:
A Success Story of Legislative Innovation
Candice Brower, 1st DCA Region
Ita Neymotin, 2nd DCA Region
Eugene Zenobi, 3rd DCA Region
Antony Ryan, 4th DCA Region
Jeffrey D. Deen, 5th DCA Region
Offices of Criminal Conflict and Civil Regional Counsel
• The OCCCRC’s -- the “Regional Counsels” -- were created in response to the skyrocketing costs of the State’s obligation to provide court appointed counsel (CAC) in criminal cases (where the Public Defenders have a conflict of interest) and in a myriad of civil cases, chiefly dependency & guardianships.
• SB 1088 was enacted in 2007 creating five Offices of Criminal Conflict and Civil Regional Counsel based upon the geographic boundaries of the five District Courts of Appeal.
• SB 1088 was a novel and cost effective approach to managing the cost of CAC while meeting the State of Florida’s obligation to provide indigent representation “in a fiscally sound manner, while safeguarding constitutional principles.” FL Statutes § 27.511
The Five Regional Counsels
The Regional Counsels are appointed by the Governor from candidates nominated by the Supreme Court Nominating Commission to 4 year terms.
1st District - "RC1" - Candice Brower, 1st DCA Region
(2016)
2nd District - "RC2" - Ita Neymotin, 2nd DCA Region
(2011, 2015)
3rd District - "RC3" - Eugene "Gene" Zenobi, 3rd DCA Region
(2011, 2015)
4th District - "RC4" - Antony "Tony" Ryan, 4th DCA Region
(2011, 2015)
5th District - "RC5" - Jeffrey D. "Jeff" Deen, 5th DCA Region
(2007, 2011, 2015)
Fifth District
The Fifth District covers the 5th, 7th, 9th and 18th circuits. There are seven office locations.
OCCCRC’s Handle Criminal Cases
(Appointed when PD’s must withdraw due to a conflict of interests)
RESPONSIBILITIES INCLUDE CRIMINAL CONFLICT CASES
Criminal Conflict cases handled or in progress:
- Death Penalty Cases
- Death Penalty Appeals
- Felony Cases
- Circuit Criminal Appeals
- Misdemeanor Cases
- Criminal Traffic Cases
- County Criminal Appeals
- Chapter 316 Cases Punishable by Imprisonment
- Ancillary Municipal Ordinances
- Primary Municipal Ordinances by Contract
- 3.850 Post Conviction Motions
- 3.800 Correction, Modification or Reduction Motions
OCCCRC’s Handle Civil Cases
RESPONSIBILITIES INCLUDE CIVIL CASES
The Regional Counsels have primary responsibility where CAC is mandated either constitutionally or by general law in the following (but not limited to) types of Civil Cases:
- Chapter 39 Dependency Cases
- Chapter 39 Termination of Parental Rights Cases
- Chapter 744 Guardianship Cases
- Chapter 393 Developmental Disability Guardianships
- Chapter 397 Involuntary Commitment Cases (Marchman Acts)
- Chapter 415 Adult Protective Services Cases
- Chapter 743 Removal Minor Nonage Disability Cases
- Chapter 392 Tuberculosis Control Cases
- Chapter 984 Children and Families in Need of Services Cases
- Chapter 63 Adoption Proceedings resulting from Termination of Parental Rights Cases
- Chapter 390 Parental Notice of Abortion Act Cases
- Sexual Predator Involuntary Commitment Cases “(Jimmy Ryce” Act cases)
- Baker Acts
- Appeal Cases Related to All Above Civil Matters
OCCCRC’s Are A Legislative Success, Handling Civil and Criminal Cases Cost Effectively
Remaining Issues Regarding Funding & Structure:
- Workload issues related to capital cases and appeals – funding not previously provided
- Salary cap, positions, and benefits limitations inhibiting competitiveness with recruitment and stability of attorney staff members
- Other glitch / anomaly issues related to technology funding and civil indigent trust funding.
To view the above information as a slideshow, visit the Public Information Page on this web site.
