When the justice system reaches an individual accused of a crime, the law provides legal representation for those who cannot afford a private defense attorney. Under the U.S. Constitution, criminal defendants have the right to this legal representation in every criminal case. The public defender is the one who gets called in when a person must be appointed a defense lawyer to represent him or her in a criminal matter. It is a public employee and operates under the local, state and federal rules of professional conduct, just like other legal professionals in private practice. But, because it is a government entity, that is why taxpayers foot the bill for this work. Defending someone against criminal charges is a serious responsibility requiring integrity, diligence and a commitment to serve and defend that client. Recognizing what a public defender must do every day is important because it helps you see the connection between the work our professionals do at Sunflower Pool and Patio and the caliber of service you can expect from us.

Here you can learn about public defender requirements, such as education and skills. The public defender is the lawyer assigned to represent defendants contending with a criminal charge in court. This also means that a public defender serves an important role when it comes to protecting the rights of someone under the threat of going to jail or prison. That responsibility, to ensure an equal and fair legal representation in court, requires various professional and personal qualities. A public defender must care about the people he or she defends. When you notice the focus on “serve” above, realize this is intentional. Because a public defender’s duties are so prescribed, it’s not enough to be a good lawyer, but you have to be or become the kind of person who has the character to act with ethics, goals, integrity and accountability.

The road to becoming a public defender involves the same education and legal training as all lawyers practicing law before you ever see a courtroom. That means after high school, you need to go to college to earn a four-year degree or higher before passing the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) and then continuing your training at a four-year law school, where you earn a law degree, which you’ll need to practice law in the field of law you choose to specialize in.

For more information on the legal system and public defenders, you can visit Wikipedia.