We suppose that the phrase “pending unavailability” is lawyer-speak for case overload.
The Joplin Globe reports that the public defender office serving the southwest Missouri counties of Jasper, Newton and McDonald is in a state of “pending unavailability”. Thirteen other public defender offices have issued similar notices, informing the courts that they are close to reaching the maximum caseload of indigent clients. The Missouri State Public Defender’s Office has closed the offices in Troy and Springfield to new clients until the caseload eases.
