Criminal ProceduresThe Criminal Process |
Who appoints an attorney for a criminal defendant? |
The court appoints attorneys for those criminal defendants who do not have sufficient funds to pay for their own attorney. Individuals always have the option to pay for their own attorney who will represent them. However, many individuals charged with crimes do not have the resources to pay for legal representation. Many attorneys make at least a part of their living off of appointed cases. Many jurisdictions have appointment lists from which judges will select attorneys for representation.