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NEW ORLEANS - Orleans public defender jobs slashed during budget cuts in February will return.
The massive cut eliminated more than 20 lawyers and left more than 500 criminal defendants without representation.
Criminal District Court Judge Arthur Hunter called it a "constitutional emergency."
Some of those positions will be restored because of recent fee increases for criminal defendants, traffic and seat belt violators.
Those positions include defense lawyers who handle death penalty cases, public defenders who handle municipal and traffic court cases and five investigators, chief public defender, Derwyn Bunton, said.
