Public defenders are paid by the government and appointed by courts for cases involving defendants who do not have the financial resources to hire a private attorney. However, public defenders are overburdened with their case load and face numerous obstacles caused by an underfunded public defense system. In this blog, we explain why you shouldn’t use a public defender if you are facing criminal charges.
Heavy Caseload
Public defenders have to handle a large amount of criminal defense cases, leaving them overworked and unable to devote too much time to one particular case. Some public defenders take on 100 to 200 cases at any given time. This means your public defender might not have any of your case information in front of them when you meet before your court date. It takes time to prepare a strong legal defense, and unfortunately, time is something public defenders lack.
Lack of Experience
While public defenders are experienced lawyers, they do not necessarily focus on a specific area of law like private attorneys. Your case might require familiarity with a complicated area of law that your public defender doesn’t have experience with, which puts you at a major disadvantage when you appear before a judge.
Lack of Resources
Criminal defense cases require access to extensive resources to investigate and prepare your case. This includes hiring experts and additional manpower to assist with your defense strategy. Public defenders have to request funds for costs that are associated with their client’s defense. If their request is denied, it can have a substantial impact on the outcome of your case.
Talk to a Criminal Defense Lawyer Today
If you are facing criminal charges, you should contact our legal team to get help with your defense strategy. At L. Patrick Mulligan & Associates, LLC, we are committed to serving clients in Dayton and defending their rights. We will use our extensive resources to pursue the justice you deserve. Let us put our skills to work for you today.
Call (937) 685-7006 to set up your free case evaluation with our Dayton criminal defense team.