4762 Public Defender Amendment 1 Christopher J. Palmisano Slot 1 and VCMHSC

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City Clerk Document No.
City Council Meeting Date:
May 22, 2025
AMENDMENT TO CITY OF CHANDLER AGREEMENT
PUBLIC DEFENDER SERVICES
CITY OF CHANDLER AGREEMENT NO. CC4-961-4762,
SLOT 1, VETERANS COURT AND MENTAL HEALTH AND SUPPORT COURT
THIS AMENDMENT NO. 1 (Amendment No. 1) is made and entered into by and between the City of
Chandler, an Arizona municipal corporation (City), and Christopher J. Palmisano of Law Offices of
Christopher J. Palmisano, PLC (Contractor), (City and Contractor may individually be referred to as Party
and collectively referred to as Parties) and made
, 20
(Effective Date).
RECITALS
WHEREAS, the Parties entered into an agreement for public defender service for Veterans Court and
Mental Health and Support Court (Agreement); and
WHEREAS, the term of the Agreement was July 1, 2024, through June 30, 2025, with the option of up to
four (4) one-year extensions; and
WHEREAS, the Parties wish to exercise the first option through this Amendment to extend the
Agreement for one year; and
WHEREAS, the Parties wish to expand the scope of services provided by Contractor under the
Agreement to include public defender services for Slot 1.
AGREEMENT
NOW THEREFORE, the Parties agree as follows:
1.
The recitals are accurate and are incorporated and made a part of the Agreement by this
reference.
2.
Section III is amended to read as follows: The Agreement is extended for a one-year period from
July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026.

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3.
Exhibit A, Scope of Services, is amended to add the Public Defender Slot 1 Schedule as follows:
APPEARANCE TIME
The Contractor will provide services in a regular full-time assignment. Contractor will appear
regularly for two (2) full day sessions and one (1) half-day session every other week (i.e., 2.5 days
every other week/total of five (5) days per month) as follows:
-
One (1) half-day appearance, Jail court (8:30 AM to 11:00 AM)
-
Two (2) full-day appearances, regular docket (8:30 AM to Noon, 1:30 PM to 5:00 PM)
The Contractor will appear according to the following schedule.
COURTROOM 4
PUBLIC DEFENDER SLOT 1 SCHEDULE
(WEEK 1)
Public Defender assigned to courtroom 4,
week 1.
TUESDAY
AM  Jail Court
PM  Pre-Trial Conference
WEDNESDAY
AM  Pre-Trial Conference
PM  Pre-Trial Conference
THURSDAY
AM  Trials/Hearing
4.
Section IV is amended to read as follows: Unless amended in writing by the Parties, Contractor's
compensation and fees as more fully described in Exhibit B for performance of the services
approved and accepted by the City under this Agreement must not exceed $105,000 ($100,000
annual compensation and up to $5,000 in other compensation approved by the Court).
5.
Exhibit B, Compensation and Fees, is amended to delete Sections 1 and 2 and replace them with
the following:
1. Full-time and Part-time Assignments: For performance of all duties and responsibilities set
forth in this Agreement, Contractor shall be compensated at the rate of $100,000.00 (One
Hundred Thousand Dollars) per year payable in monthly installments of $8,333.33, pro-rated
for months in which Contractor did not perform services for all or part of the month. This
Agreement does not establish a cap on the number of cases assigned for this level of
compensation.
Compensation is all inclusive for the performance of services for all matters set in the Court
as described in Exhibit A and, except as otherwise provided herein, includes all labor, travel,
and expenses through completion of the work and any continuing ethical obligations to
represent assigned defendant(s) that were assigned prior to the end of this Agreement.

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2.
under the Agreement shall be allocated according to assignment
as follows:
a. Regular Full-time Assignment (Slot 1): For performance of duties and responsibilities
associated with the full-time assignment to Slot 1, Contractor shall be compensated
at the rate of $68,000.00 (Sixty-Eight Thousand Dollars) per year payable in monthly
installments of $5,666.67, pro-rated for months in which Contractor did not perform
services for all or part of the month.
b. Mental Health and Support Court Assignment (Part-time): For performance of duties
and responsibilities associated with the part-time assignment to the Mental Health
and Support Court, Contractor shall be compensated at the rate of $20,000.00
(Twenty Thousand Dollars) per year payable in monthly installments of $1,666.66,
pro-rated for months in which Contractor did not perform services for all or part of
the month.
c.
East Valley Regional Veterans Court Assignment (Part-time): For performance of
duties and responsibilities associated with the part-time assignment to the Veterans
Court, Contractor shall be compensated at the rate of $12,000.00 (Twelve Thousand
Dollars) per year payable in monthly installments of $1,666.66, pro-rated for months
in which Contractor did not perform services for all or part of the month.
6.
The amendments of Section IV and Exhibit B, which incorporate an increase in annual
compensation for the Regular Full-time Assignment, are conditioned on approval by the City
is not approved by the City Council, the Agreement will be amended as follows:
a. Section IV will be amended to state: Unless amended in writing by the Parties,
Contractor's compensation and fees as more fully described in Exhibit B for
performance of the services approved and accepted by the City under this Agreement
must not exceed $97,000 ($92,000 annual compensation and up to $5,000 in other
compensation approved by the Court).
b. Exhibit B, Section 1 will be amended to state: Full-time and Part-time Assignments:
For performance of all duties and responsibilities set forth in this Agreement,
Contractor shall be compensated at the rate of $92,000 (Ninety-Two Thousand
Dollars) per year payable in monthly installments of $7,666.67, pro-rated for months
in which Contractor did not perform services for all or part of the month. This
Agreement does not establish a cap on the number of cases assigned for this level of
compensation.
c.
Exhibit B, Section 2.a. will be amended to state: Regular Full-time Assignment (Slot 1):
For performance of duties and responsibilities associated with the full-time

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assignment to Slot 1, Contractor shall be compensated at the rate of $60,000.00 (Sixty
Thousand Dollars) per year payable in monthly installments of $5,000, pro-rated for
months in which Contractor did not perform services for all or part of the month.
7.
All other terms and conditions of the Agreement remain unchanged and in full force and effect.
If a conflict or ambiguity arises between this Amendment No. 1 and the Agreement, the terms
and conditions in this Amendment No. 1 prevail and control.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Parties have entered into this Amendment on the Effective Date.
FOR THE CITY
FOR THE CONTRACTOR
By: _________________________________________
By: _________________________________________
Its: _________________________________________
Its: _________________________________________
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
By: _________________________________________
City Attorney
ATTEST:
By: _________________________________________
City Clerk