If a person is indigent (poor) and cannot afford an attorney, he or she may qualify for representation from a public defender’s office. There are federal public defender’s offices for those charged with federal crimes and local public defender offices for those charged with state or local crimes.

When a person is taken into custody, the authorities may make them fill out a form that describes their assets and financial condition. If a person qualifies, then the public defender’s office will apply to represent them or the court will appoint the public defender’s office to represent them.