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Public Defender

An attorney in the USA paid for by the state but representing an indigent individual in a criminal matter.

A criminal defence lawyer appointed within criminal justice proceedings in the USA, paid for by the state, but representing an indigent defendant in a criminal matter.

To have access to a public defender, a criminal defendent would normally be required to take a pauper's oath.

The Los Angeles Office of the Public Defender (pd.co.la.ca.us) describes public defenders as:

"... licensed attorneys who devote their full time to representing persons who have been accused of a crime, have no attorney, and lack the means to employ one. Others who appear in the juvenile and mental health courts are likewise represented.

"There is no distinction between the obligations of a defender toward his client and the duties of a private attorney in the same circumstances."

Would be known as  legal aid or "aide juridique" lawyer in Canada.

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Unless otherwise noted, this article was written by Lloyd Duhaime, Barrister, Solicitor, Attorney and Lawyer (and Notary Public!). It is not intended to be legal advice and you would be foolhardy to rely on it in respect to any specific situation you or an acquaintance may be facing. In addition, the law changes rapidly and sometimes with little notice so from time to time, an article may not be up to date. Therefore, this is merely legal information designed to educate the reader. If you have a real situation, this information will serve as a good springboard to get legal advice from a lawyer.

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