Definition

Noun: A public defender is a lawyer appointed by a court or employed by the government to represent, at public expense, a defendant who cannot afford to hire a private attorney.

Usage

The term is used specifically within the legal system to refer to the attorney provided for indigent defendants. It is a formal title and role.

Examples

• The judge appointed a public defender for the accused man.
• She works as a public defender in the county courthouse.
• He met with his public defender to discuss the charges against him.

Advanced Usage

• "To be represented by a public defender": This is a common phrase describing the status of a defendant who has been assigned a state-funded lawyer.
  • The defendant, who could not afford an attorney, was represented by a public defender.

Variants and Related Words

• Defender (noun): One who defends. In a legal context, it can be synonymous with a defense attorney, though "public defender" specifies the state-appointed nature of the role.
• Court-appointed attorney/lawyer (noun phrase): A broader term that can be synonymous with a public defender, though it may also refer to a private lawyer specifically assigned by a judge for a case.

Synonyms

• Court-appointed counsel
• Legal aid lawyer (in some jurisdictions, though "legal aid" often refers to civil, not criminal, cases)

Notes on Meaning

The role of a public defender is distinct from that of a private defense attorney, as the former is a government employee or contractor whose clientele consists exclusively of indigent defendants. The term carries no implication about the quality of representation but specifies the method of appointment and payment.

Noun

1. a lawyer who represents indigent defendants at public expense