Illinois Statutes Chapter 725. Criminal Procedure § 105/10.5. Competitive bidding for appellate services

(a) The State Appellate Defender may, to the extent necessary to dispose of its backlog of indigent criminal appeals, institute a competitive bidding program under which contracts for the services of attorneys in criminal appeals are awarded to the lowest responsible bidder.

(b) The State Appellate Defender, before letting out bids for contracts for the services of attorneys to represent indigent defendants on appeal in criminal cases, shall advertise the letting of the bids in a publication or publications of the Illinois State Bar Association, the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin, and the Chicago Lawyer. The State Appellate Defender shall also advertise the letting of the bids in newspapers of general circulation in major municipalities to be determined by the State Appellate Defender. The State Appellate Defender shall mail notices of the letting of the bids to county and local bar associations.

(c) Bids may be let in packages of one to 5, appeals. Additional cases may be assigned, in the discretion of the State Appellate Defender, after a successful bidder completes work on existing packages.

(d) A bid for services of an attorney under this Section shall be let only to an attorney licensed to practice law in Illinois who has prior criminal appellate experience or to an attorney who is a member or employee of a law firm which has at least one member with that experience. Prospective bidders must furnish legal writing samples that are deemed acceptable to the State Appellate Defender.

(e) An attorney who is awarded a contract under this Section shall communicate with each of his or her clients and shall file each initial brief before the due date established by Supreme Court Rule or by the Appellate Court. The State Appellate Defender may rescind the contract for attorney services and may require the return of the record on appeal if the contracted attorney fails to make satisfactory progress, in the opinion of the State Appellate Defender, toward filing a brief.

(f) Gross compensation for completing of a case shall be $40 per hour but shall not exceed $2,000 per case. The contract shall specify the manner of payment.

(g) (Blank).

(h) (Blank).