public defender

American  

noun

1. a lawyer appointed or elected by a city or county as a full-time, official defender to represent indigents in criminal cases at public expense.

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public defender British  

noun

1. (in the US) a lawyer engaged at public expense to represent indigent defendants

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public defender Cultural  

1. An attorney who is appointed and paid by a court to defend poor persons who cannot afford a lawyer.

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Etymology

Origin of public defender

First recorded in 1915–20

Example Sentences

Pysher’s deputy federal public defender could not immediately be reached for comment.

From Los Angeles Times

The judge appointed an attorney from the public defender's office in his stead.

From Barron's

County public defender’s office after high-powered defense counsel Alan Jackson stepped down from the case Wednesday.

From Los Angeles Times

In January, his arraignment was postponed to Monday after his lawyer, famed defense attorney Alan Jackson, stepped down and was replaced by a public defender.

From Los Angeles Times

Neither the district attorney nor public defender’s office responded immediately to a request for comment.

From Los Angeles Times