What is a public defender?

Public Defenders are full-time, state-paid attorneys who represent defendants in criminal cases who cannot afford to hire an attorney on their own. To qualify for a public defender, you must demonstrate indigency, or financial hardship. Additionally, you must be accused of a crime that could result in imprisonment. Sometimes, a criminal charge may not carry a possible jail or prison sentence. If that’s the case for you, you may not qualify for a public defender. Public defenders are also appointed to represent juveniles in juvenile court. 

Are public defenders free?

If you enter a guilty plea or are found guilty at trial, you will be required to pay the state for the money spent on your defense. In some cases, the judge may remit some or all of the costs and fees associated with your case.

If you are found not guilty of all charges, or if your charges are dismissed, you do not have to reimburse the state.  

How do I get a public defender?

We are attorneys appointed to cases by a magistrate or judge. This means that we cannot be hired like other attorneys. Instead, when a defendant has a court date, they must request that we be appointed to their case. The court will then consider whether that defendant qualifies for a public defender. If they do, our office will be appointed to the case.

In some circumstances, a private court-appointed attorney may be appointed to a defendant’s case. This usually happens when our office has a conflict of interest or some other issue that prevents us from being able to take the case. A private court-appointed attorney is a lawyer who works out of their own firm and has agreed to take on cases when, for whatever reason, our office cannot take the case. 

How do I find out who my attorney is?

You should receive a letter within the first week after our office is appointed to your case. You can also call our office to find out which attorney is assigned to your case.

Reach our Greensboro office at 336-412-7777.

Reach our High Point office at 336-822-6723. 

How do I contact my attorney?

You can contact your attorney by reaching out to our office. You can also reach out by email – all of our attorneys’ email addresses are listed on our Contact Us page. 

When is my court date?

Click here and enter your name to find your upcoming court date. You can also sign up for text message notifications to help keep up with your court date here.

Please note that it is your responsibility to keep up with your court date, so please check online regularly. If you are uncertain about your court date, reach out to your attorney. 

Can I pay court fees online?

You can pay some court fees online here. 

I missed my court date. What should I do?

Contact your attorney ASAP. Failing to appear in court may result in the judge issuing an order for your arrest. This means you could be arrested and required to pay a bond to get out of jail. In some limited circumstances, your attorney may be able to get an order for arrest recalled so this does not happen.

If you are going to miss your court date, let your attorney know. If your attorney has good contact with you, and if you can explain why you are missing court, they will have a stronger argument that no order for arrest should be issued against you. 

How do I find out if someone is in jail in Guilford County?

You may search the local jail website here to find out if someone is in custody in Guilford County. To find out if someone is in custody anywhere in North Carolina, you can search here.

For any other questions, please see our Client Resources page, or reach out to us directly on our Contact Us page.

Disclaimer: The materials available at this site are for informational purposes only and not for the purpose of providing legal advice. You should contact your attorney to obtain advice with respect to any particular issue or problem.