Are Public Defenders Any Good?

Most people wonder if Public Defenders are any good or whether they’re even a lawyer. Public defenders are not only real attorneys, but they are often some of the best. Public Defenders went to real law schools. They passed the same bar exam as the rest of us attorneys. They often go into the field of public defense due to a passion, not as a default. However, they often have huge caseloads. They are often extremely stressed and overworked. This is not an ideal situation.

Why do Public Defenders have such bad image in the public eye?

Public defenders are to the legal field as battle field trauma surgeons are to the field of medicine. They are inundated with high caseloads, hardly compensated in proportion to their efforts, and have limited resources such as personal assistants or paralegals. Because of their high caseloads and limited time, they are forced to prioritize cases like surgeons in a war. If you’re in dire need, you’ll get some attention. Otherwise, if you’re facing minor charges as compared to other defendants, you may not get the full attention as a serious felon facing a strike case. Even those cases are so numerous that they often get the bare minimum effort due to lack of time.

However, those supposed “minor charges” are not so minor to you, if you are the one accused of a crime. It’s your life! For you, it’s a make-it-or-break-it deal because your future rests on it. Your criminal record could affect your immigration status, career, family life, 2nd Amendment (gun ownership), and freedom!

Money doesn’t buy justice but it does help with increasing your odds when you face a criminal charge. The reason for that is conscientious attorneys, like myself, will take only limited number of cases to make sure your case is given the attention it deserves. We generally don’t have supervisors like public defenders who keep piling cases on the desks of deputy public defenders, on a daily basis. Keep in mind that some private attorneys will become greedy and accept more cases than they could reasonably handle. It’s your job to get a sense of how stressed and over-worked the attorney seems. You should ask about their caseload. But if you find that right balance in a private attorney, you’ll generally do better in the long run, especially when it comes to client service.

Why is a private attorney worth hiring?

1. Private criminal defense attorneys have the same passion for their field as public defenders, but we can control our caseloads, the types of cases we take and how much we charge. This gives us an ideal work/life balance and keeps us rather content. A content attorney thinks and works better. As a result, your case will get the attention it deserves.
2. Private attorneys need to do a fantastic job or they won’t get great reviews and won’t get new business. Public Defenders don’t have their livelihood on the line like private attorneys do. They get their salary regardless of outcome.
3. Private attorneys are oriented towards client service; returning calls, returning emails, answering questions within the same day, offering time to really get to know you and your fears, and discussing the game plan more than once if you didn’t understand it the first time.
4. Private attorneys can choose a private investigator which matches your needs rather than being forced to use the one provided by the county, who is also overworked.
5. Usually the same private attorney will handle your case but with public defenders, you get whomever is in court that day. That’s if you use a solo practitioner like myself. Otherwise, if you go to a mill, you’ll pay good money and end up with the same type of service as public defense.
6. Private attorneys can show up on your first court day without you for most misdemeanor cases. It saves you from taking time off work and prevents a potential detention if you have a warrant. This is also crucial if you are afraid of ICE holds. In order to be assigned a public defender, you’d have to first appear in person for court on your arraignment day.

If you feel you would like a private attorney but cannot afford one, call for a free consult anyway. We went into criminal defense because we have a heart. At least come in to get a quote and see if it’s truly not within your budget. I think you’ll be surprised to find out how much some of us want to help you.

Criminal Defense During Bad Economy

During bad economic times, more people become desperate and are softened too stressed to think things through. They tend to make mistakes which causes them legal problems. They lose their cool quickly and argue. They resort more to drug and/or alcohol use to escape their troubles. These often land them in legal hot water for charges such as domestic violence, vandalism, theft, DUI, public intoxication, assault and battery, etc.,

The increased demand for criminal defense attorneys creates a huge bottleneck for the office of public defenders. This in turn could reduce the quality of the representation and the time spent on each client.

With inflation, housing costs and increasing unemployment, we seem to be headed in that direction now. More and more clients are opting to leave their public defense representation for a private attorney.

Should I worry if I have a public defender and can’t afford a private one?

But if you end up going with a public defender, don’t worry. You’ll have a really good attorney. They will care about you and will attempt to help you. I assure you they are some of the more passionate and zealous advocates around. It’s too bad the system doesn’t recognize their work and overburdens them. A great overworked attorney is better than no attorney! Always ask for a lawyer.

However, the peace of mind provided by a private attorney who answers your questions, explains the game plan repeatedly, and responds to your inquiries quickly, is priceless.

Call the Law Office of Wais Azami with any questions. We offer free consultations and flexible appointment times.

This information shall not be deemed legal advice, nor shall it create any attorney-client relationship. It is merely for informational purposes or academic purposes.