Service Tree

Public Defender

An elected or appointed public official (usually of a county), who is an attorney regularly assigned by the courts to defend people accused of crimes who cannot afford a private attorney. Counties may also have alternate public defenders, attorneys who represent persons charged with a crime who cannot afford to hire a private attorney in situations where the public defender has a conflict of interest. In each Federal Judicial District there is also a federal public defender, an attorney who is appointed by the court to represent individuals charged with federal offenses who cannot afford to retain their own attorney. Some states have a state public defender to supervise the provision of attorneys to convicted indigent individuals for appeals.

• Service code: FJ-6700.6500
• 1 provider

State's Attorney

The chief prosecuting officer for the state who is responsible for initiating charges and prosecuting people, including juveniles, who have been accused of felony and misdemeanor offenses including violations of the motor vehicle code; enforcing laws that require responsible people to support their dependents; and investigating allegations of major fraud, organized criminal activity and corruption as well as unlawful conduct by public officials.

• Service code: FJ-6700.8100
• 1 provider