No, not all criminal defendants are entitled to an attorney. A person has to face jail or prison time in order to qualify for an attorney. This means that if you receive a traffic ticket or some other citation or infraction (the terminology varies from state to state) that does have the possibility of leading to jail time, then the court does not have to appoint you an attorney. In basic terms, if you are charged with a felony or most misdemeanors, then you are entitled to an attorney. If you face only a fine, then you are not entitled to a court-appointed attorney.