public defender

n. An attorney or office of attorneys employed by the government to represent indigent defendants in criminal cases.

public defender

n (Law) (in the US) a lawyer engaged at public expense to represent indigent defendants

pub′lic defend′er

n. a full-time lawyer appointed to represent indigents in criminal cases at public expense. [1915–20]

public defender

An attorney who is appointed by the government to defend clients who cannot afford to pay for legal representation.

Thesaurus

Noun

public defender - a lawyer who represents indigent defendants at public expenselaw, jurisprudence - the collection of rules imposed by authority; "civilization presupposes respect for the law"; "the great problem for jurisprudence to allow freedom while enforcing order"attorney, lawyer - a professional person authorized to practice law; conducts lawsuits or gives legal advice

public defender

public defender,

governmental official who represents indigent persons accused of crime. U.S. Supreme Court decisions expanding the right to counsel to pretrial proceedings and holding that a person cannot be sentenced to even one day in jail unless a lawyer was provided have created a need for more lawyers to represent the indigent. Proponents of the public defender office claim that it is the most efficient and effective method of protecting the indigent. Other systems include court-appointed counsel from the local bar, clinics operated by law schools, and legal aid societies. The societies are privately funded and offer civil and criminal representation.

public defender

Public Defender

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

Cross-references

Right to Counsel.

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.

public defender

public defender

public defender

pub′lic defend′er

public defender

public defender

public defender,

public defender

Public Defender

Cross-references

public defender

public defender

public defender

Words related to public defender

noun a lawyer who represents indigent defendants at public expense

Related Words