public defender

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Public Defender

An attorney appointed by a court or employed by the government to represent indigent defendants in criminal actions.

Cross-references

public defender

n. an elected or appointed public official (usually of a county), who is an attorney regularly assigned by the courts to defend people accused of crimes who cannot afford a private attorney. In larger counties the public defender has a large case load, numerous deputy public defenders and office staff. In each Federal Judicial District there is also a federal public defender, and some states have a state public defender to supervise the provision of attorneys to convicted indigents for appeals.

public defender

a lawyer provided by the state to represent a person accused of a crime. Clearly, where there is respect for the human right of a fair trial, there has to be a separation of powers between the public defender and the prosecution - something that is difficult where there maybe a similar ‘civil service’ type of career structure and movement of individuals between divisions. They are well known in the USA and the system is the subject of an experiment in Scotland. It is now provided for in English legislation and the precise system is a matter of consultation. See CRIMINAL DEFENCE SERVICE.

Collins Dictionary of Law © W.J. Stewart, 2006

References in periodicals archive ?

The Attorney General's office also claims it sent an email to the public defender's counsel on May 6 but received no reply.

State scrambles to rejoin public-defender caseload suit

Mehn also clarifies that there are no public defenders in magisterial courts except in circuit courts where this service is practiced.

Fake lawyers roam Nimba

"[] Wilson provides no support for appellant's contention that section 611.21 provides a 'safety valve' for interpreter services when the public defender has depleted its budget," Cleary wrote.

Court denies funding for interpreter

The 22 attorney's in the Public Defender's Superior Court Bureau handled 4,220 felonies in 2018.

Public Defender caseloads remain high

Public Defender Joy Gossman said Simba brings a calm and accepting presence to stressful situations at the Depke complex.

A calming influence in juvenile court

The exceptions state that the public defenders must be restricted from having access to confidential information relating to each other's cases and that they must retain total control over what happens in their client's cases, independent of the office.

Manslaughter conviction affirmed despite conflict claim

RIGHT FOR THE PUBLIC DEFENDER BUT NOT A REMEDY FOR THE DEFENDANT

CASE REFUSAL: A RIGHT FOR THE PUBLIC DEFENDER BUT NOT A REMEDY FOR THE DEFENDANT

When public defender offices don't have time to investigate cases, file motions for discovery, or do any of the rudimentary legwork involved in preparing for trial, it leaves defendants at an enormous disadvantage.

The disappearing sixth amendment

(35) The Court's holdings in Frye and Lafler are implicated in the public defender context because a public defender who has not had time to meet with her client cannot adequately advise the client about a plea bargain.

Lessons from New Orleans: a stronger role for public defenders in spurring indigent defense reform

My realization forced me to understand how the public defender experience forever changes the professional personas and personal values of students and new attorneys.

The power of the public defender experience: learning by fighting for the incarcerated and poor

The main goal is to consider whether defendants who are represented by the public defender are disadvantaged at trial.

The trials of indigent defense: type of counsel and case outcomes in felony jury trials