716 - Public defender; appointment; term; other employees.

§  716. Public defender; appointment; term; other employees. The board  of supervisors of any county may create an office of public defender, or  may authorize a contract between its county and one or more  other  such  counties  to create an office of public defender to serve such counties.  A city may create an office of public  defender  in  any  county  wholly  contained within its borders and such city shall possess with respect to  such  office all the powers conferred upon a board of supervisors by the  provisions of this article. The  board  or  boards  of  supervisors  may  designate  an  attorney-at-law as public defender and shall fix his term  and compensation. Subject to the approval of such board or  boards,  the  public  defender  may  appoint  as  many  assistant  attorneys,  clerks,  investigators,  stenographers  and  other  employees  as  he  may   deem  necessary  and  as  shall  be  authorized by such board or boards.   The  public defender shall fix the compensation of such aides and  assistants  within  the  amounts  such  board  or  boards  may  appropriate for such  purposes. Notwithstanding any other provision of  law  relating  to  the  creation of county offices, where the board of supervisors of any county  has  established  an  office  of  public  defender  by  resolution,  and  thereafter such office is created by  local  law,  such  local  law  may  authorize the payment of compensation and other expenses incurred in the  operation of said office retroactive to the date of the adoption of said  resolution.