The public defender and their staff seek to provide effective and high quality legal representation to accused indigent people facing felony or misdemeanor charges, juvenile adjudication, and mental health commitments.
Under the Indiana Constitution (and the US Constitution's sixth amendment) every person has the right to an attorney at no expense to yourself if you cannot afford one (in certain cases.) Criminal cases, mental health cases, child welfare cases and instances of juvenile court proceedings and other cases where a possibility of incarceration is involved are eligible for obtaining a public defender. This is, by no means, an all inclusive list.
In many cases the judge presiding over your case will determine eligibility for the need of a public defender. Before deciding whether a public defender can be used in your defense, questions about being able to financially afford a lawyer by your own means will be asked.
These statements do not constitute legal advice nor does this guarantee the public defender will be assigned to your case. The information provided here for is informative purposes only. It is always advisable to seek legal advice from an attorney.