The lawyer they give you when you can't afford an attorney, does he have a choice or does he have to represent you? If yes, then do you have a link to a source? I could not find the answer.

shelly
There are lawyers whose sole job is to represent people who cannot afford representation.

only p
He is a public defender. They take any case. They are paid a salary so they don't care which case they take. They usually don't try too hard either.

Chris H
No, attorneys are not forced to represent clients. That being said, the state is required to provide an attorney if you cannot afford one and are facing criminal charges.

mr_crankypants
It's voluntary, He/She works for the public defenders office, or he works in private practice and take on pro-bono work. Some states bar associations require lawyers to do a certain amount of pro-bono hours per year.

Hope that answers your question!

Nicki
Each attorney has to been in a pool for indigent people no matter who they are, they all have serve when their comes up to be a defender.

amy w
In California we have a program called IDP, Indigent Defense Program. They appoint someone to you. They are paid by the State/County.

Attorneys have to apply to be in this program. In my county, there is a waiting list for attorneys who want to be part of IDP.

Check with the State Bar Association in your state for links.

gouldgirl2002
Sometimes he has no choice. If an attorney happens to be in a courtroom for an unrelated matter, and the judge says, "Hey, you, represent this guy," then that is an Order of the Court that the attorney cannot decline. Most of the time, the attorneys you are talkikng about are Public Defenders and it is their job to defend people who can't afford an attorney, so they choose to do that job.

Monica D
Criminal defense lawyers at the state level are indeed paid by the state. You are not paying them, but someone else definitely is. In federal court, to be a member of the federal trial bar, one must do a certain number of pro bono cases to remain an active member of the trial bar. So, while public defenders at the state level sign up for this duty, at the federal level, they don't - they are appointed on a rotating basis. They too get paid by the US government for handling your case. Hope this helps.

Know better? Leave your own answer in the comments!

Orignal From: Are lawyers forced to represent people who cannot afford an attorney?

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