Why You Shouldn’t Rely on a Public Defender for Your Defense

June 27, 2022 11:46 am
Written by admingl
Categories: Criminal Defense | Legal Advice

Public defenders provide a critical service to the criminal justice system, representing those individuals who are unable to afford representation for their cases.

But is a public defender the right choice for you? Turns out, there are three key areas where hiring a public defender may put you at a disadvantage.

1. Heavy Caseload
It’s no secret that public defenders are overworked and underpaid. Some public defenders are inundated with cases, sometimes as many as 100-200 at a time. As you might imagine, it is nearly impossible to give any particular case much attention when they’re spread that thin.

2. Experience
Although there are many talented public defenders, you have no choice in who you are assigned. Given their caseload and a random mix of clients, public defenders don’t often have an area of specialization. When hiring a private law firm, you can choose to work with an attorney and/or law firm that specializes in the types of cases you’re facing.

3. Limited Resources
Criminal defense cases are complex, nuanced, and require exceptional attention to detail. They also involve intensive investigation in order to prepare the case for court. This can involve but is not limited to hiring experts to support the case. Something that is limited with public defenders who have to have each expense approved on a request-by-request basis.

Tags: Public Defender

Categorized in: Criminal Defense, Legal Advice

This post was written by: admingl

Brevard County, Florida Lawyer

Many of the clients that we represent for criminal charges in Brevard County have no prior criminal record. Certain professions require special state or federal certification such as doctors, lawyers, nurses, private and public school teachers, state and federal law enforcement officers and members of the military. Individuals in these professions face special challenges after an arrest and prosecution.

Even if the charges are ultimately dropped, those indirect consequences can have a huge impact on the individual's career and future employment opportunities. Similar problems impact individuals working as defense contractors or who are required to carry a firearm or use a concealed weapons permit for their employment.

Even high school and college students can face serious immediate consequences to their education after an arrest or criminal accusation. Our criminal defense attorneys work with these individuals to minimize both the direct and indirect consequences of an arrest and prosecution. We work with clients throughout Palm Bay, Rockledge, Titusville, Cocoa, West Melbourne, Indian Harbour Beach, and nearby areas.

The Florida criminal defense team at Germain Legal will zealously fight for their clients. We take an aggressive approach coupled with a meticulous attention to detail. We believe that by filing and litigating all viable motions we can often negotiate a better resolutions to the case or force the prosecutor to drop the charges. Florida law provides for important protections by filing motions to exclude evidence, motions to suppress statements, and motions to dismiss criminal charges.