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

A public defender representing him didn’t respond to requests for comment.

From The Wall Street Journal

In court, Townsend’s public defender, Elizabeth Landgraf, argued that no direct evidence linked Townsend to the killing, such as DNA, fingerprints, witnesses or video.

From Los Angeles Times

Lakanwal entered his plea through a public defender and said little via the interpreter, except that he couldn’t open his eyes and was in pain.

From The Wall Street Journal

Deputy federal public defender Aden Kahssai said Augustine opened the umbrella to protect fellow protesters.

From Los Angeles Times

It wasn’t clear if he had a lawyer or had been assigned a public defender.

From The Wall Street Journal