{"id":24844,"date":"2023-12-12T10:40:57","date_gmt":"2023-12-12T10:40:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/rideoutlaw.com\/?p=24844"},"modified":"2023-12-06T18:35:39","modified_gmt":"2023-12-06T18:35:39","slug":"how-do-i-qualify-for-a-public-defender","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rideoutlaw.com\/es\/how-do-i-qualify-for-a-public-defender\/","title":{"rendered":"How Do I Qualify for a Public Defender?"},"content":{"rendered":"

How Do I Qualify for a Public Defender?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The right to an attorney is provided to criminal defendants in the Constitutions of both the United States and Arizona. When defendants cannot afford a private attorney, they can be appointed a public defender<\/a> by the State of Arizona. All public defenders in the state are licensed Arizona attorneys.<\/p>\n

In order to be provided a public defender, defendants must prove financial hardship. Public defenders will not be appointed to defendants who have the ability to pay for a private attorney\u2019s representation, even if they request it.<\/p>\n

Anyone who would like to have a court-appointed public defender must pass a \u201cmeans test\u201d demonstrating that they are unable to afford to hire a lawyer. Typically, courts provide public defenders to those who are below the poverty line.<\/p>\n

Means tests are conducted under oath and cover matters of the defendant\u2019s income and family size. Courts will only public a public defender in situations where they find the defendant truly cannot pay to hire their own counsel.<\/p>\n

For defendants with criminal cases in city courts, public defenders may also be appointed for free or at a reduced cost to eligible individuals. Each court sets their own eligibility guidelines for these misdemeanor cases and typically only provide public defenders for cases that could result in jail time.<\/p>\n

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RIDEOUT LAW GROUP<\/strong><\/p>\n

With offices in Lake Havasu City and Scottsdale, our firm serves the entire state of Arizona, with a particular focus on criminal defense, family law, and juvenile cases.<\/p>\n

Our goal is for the best outcome for your criminal case, which can include:<\/p>\n