The Berrien County Board of Commissioners has accepted a state grant of more than $5 million for its indigent defense office.

The county’s indigent defender’s office was created in 2016 to provide legal services to those who cannot afford representation. Previously, the county worked with private attorneys to represent such defendants.

The county in 2017 received a grant of $1.5 million from the Michigan Indigent Defense Commission to fund the first year of the office.

Commissioners on Thursday approved a resolution accepting a $5.3 million grant for indigent defense this coming year, noting that is the expected cost of operating the office from October through next September.

Commissioners approved the resolution without comment.