isnt a public defender suppose to defend their client to the best of their ability? and arent they suppose to return your calls? answer your questions? and if this is not happening what can you do or what do you do about getting another one to represent you on your case?
2007-03-01 12:24:38 · 7 answers · asked by rose c 1 in Politics & Government ➔ Law & Ethics
I have seen people being grouped together, strongly encouraged to plead guilty or no contest and then taking their punishment despite the fact that they were innocent. Then they also ended up having to pay a fee to the attorney anyway. They do as little as possible in most cases. This is not fair.
2007-03-01 12:39:29 · answer #1 · answered by ♥ T O N I ♥ 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Public defenders are poorly paid and overworked, but that is no excuse for ignoring you. Write a letter to the Judge concerning your poor representation. Do NOT discuss your case in the letter, but ask for another attorney. Also, in an attorney-client relationship, YOU are the boss. If you are not guilty or have a good defense, do not let the public defender talk you into doing something you do not wish to do. I have one other suggestion. Get together about $200 and go to a private criminal defense atty and pay for an hour's consultation. If you do that, you will learn whether you have a good defense. I have seen public defenders meet and talk with their clients for the first time only minutes before trial on many, many occasions. They then will try to talk you into a plea bargain or a guilty plea that is not in your best interests. Just because you can't afford a defense atty doesn't mean you can't see one for an opinion before trial. Despite their heavy case load, there is no excuse for ignoring a client or not returning phone calls.
2007-03-01 13:06:01 · answer #2 · answered by David M 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The public defender is appointed to represent clients who cannot afford to pay a private attorney. If you are dissatisfied with the representation you're getting from the P.D., ask the judge to appoint someone else. Most judges are willing to do this if your complaints are valid. You are entitled to the best representation the Public Defender's Office can render, and just because you can't afford a private attorney, you don't deserve slipshod representation. The public defenders are salaried employees, so they're getting paid by the local government, which is not as much as a private attorney would get, but they're still getting paid so they aren't representing you for free, which is the impression most people have. It's only free for you, but not for them.
2007-03-01 12:40:45 · answer #3 · answered by gldjns 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
the picture of any job there are those that are tremendous and those that suck. it really is particularly, quite common for an criminal specialist no longer to charm to close some thing about the case at arraignments (the first courtroom visual charm). frequently a courtroom appointed criminal specialist is given the case proper earlier the case is termed. yet at arraignments it isn't mandatory to be up on all the info, you in effortless words ought to get a wide-spread experience of the customer and the costs and argue bail. it really is the action and trial degrees that a reliable criminal specialist will shine. In my experince, there are extra deepest criminal specialist's that are undesirable then public defenders. Public defender's frequently have extra journey and comprehend the decide and prosecutor extra appropriate then a private criminal specialist. yet as with each thing there are reliable ones and undesirable ones.
2016-12-05 03:12:27 · answer #4 · answered by marconi 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, they are supposed to return your calls. Keep in mind that most public defenders have a MASSIVE caseload. If the case are not complex, s/he may not have gotten to it yet. If you are concerned, call the courthouse. They may be able to help you out. Be polite! Your P. Defender probably gets paid the same whether you win or lose. You need him/her on your side.
2007-03-01 12:42:29 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Welcome to the world of lawyers (many of them). They do not get personally involved. They tend NOT to answer some questions. And- oh yeah- they tend to lie! Talk to whoever appointed that p.d. to you to see if you can make a change. There are some good ones. Check out a book called "Indefensible" by David Feige. He is a Bronx P.D. He seemed very caring and into his job of defending his clients. He also gives a lot of insight about the ins and outs of the "system"- and points out how dirty "they" play.
2007-03-01 13:02:55 · answer #6 · answered by julie j 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
To lie as best he can to get his criminal...I mean his client off.
2007-03-01 12:50:52 · answer #7 · answered by Kevin A 6 · 0⤊ 2⤋