LEGAL ASSISTANCE WHEN YOU CAN’T AFFORD A LAWYER (CRIMINAL MATTERS)

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For people charged with a crime, a Public Defender may provide legal representation for those who cannot afford an attorney.

WHAT IS A PUBLIC DEFENDER?

A public defender is an attorney appointed by the court to represent people who are charged with a crime, and who do not have the financial means to hire an attorney. In 1963, the United States Supreme Court, in the case of Gideon v. Wainwright, held that an indigent defendant has a right to an attorney in state felony cases, which was in addition to that right in Federal felony cases. Many years earlier, Connecticut had recognized the critical role of counsel in a fair trial. In 1917, Connecticut became the first state in the Union to adopt the public defender system on a statewide basis.

CONNECTICUT PUBLIC DEFENDERS

The Division of Public Defender Services is an independent state agency. Public Defenders provide representation in adult and juvenile misdemeanor and felony cases, as well as in appeals and other post-conviction matters, for people who cannot afford legal counsel. Public Defender offices serve all of Connecticut’s courthouses, which include the thirteen Judicial District (JD’s) Courts, where more serious matters are heard, and the twenty-one Geographical Area (GA’s) Courts for less serious cases. Public Defender offices are also located in Juvenile Courts.

FEDERAL PUBLIC DEFENDERS

The Federal Public Defender, District of Connecticut, provides representation to indigent people in Connecticut who are charged with Federal crimes. The Federal Public Defender has a main office in Hartford and a satellite office in New Haven, serving the four United States District Courts in Connecticut.

TO FIND PROVIDERS IN CONNECTICUT'S COMMUNITY RESOURCES DATABASE:

• Search by service name: Public Defender

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SOURCES: "Connecticut Public Defenders" by State of Connecticut Division of Public Defender Services;"Tapping the Scales of Justice: A Dose of Connecticut Legal History" from Connectocit Judicial Branch Law Libraries; Federal Public Defender – District of Connecticut; Supreme Court of the United States
PREPARED BY: 211/kq
CONTENT LAST REVIEWED:January2013