Civic · 6 pages · 12 min

How a public defender is a role not a quality grade

A public defender is the lawyer supplied for someone who cannot hire counsel, not a rating of skill.

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From the opening

A public defender is a lawyer, or an office of lawyers, assigned by the public to represent people who are entitled to counsel and cannot afford to hire one. The title names that role in the case, not a grade of how good the lawyering will be. The opening covers the office supplies defense counsel, the client qualifies by lack of means, and duties run to the accused.

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Inside

The office supplies defense counsel
The client qualifies by lack of means
Duties run to the accused
Caseload is not part of the name
Where the idea stops applying
A distinction worth keeping

Sources

Public defender office
Right to appointed counsel

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How a public defender is a role not a quality grade

From the opening

Inside

Sources

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