In the United States, the Sixth Amendment to the Constitution provides citizens to the right to a speedy, public trial by an impartial jury and the right to retain counsel for defense ("Bill of Rights," n.d.). If a person does not have the monetary means to acquire the legal representation of a lawyer, a public defender is assigned to the case to provide legal counsel and representation. The concept of a public defender was initiated in 1914 in Los Angeles County, California in response to a need for legal aid for indigent criminal defendants (Cole, Smith, & DeJong, 2015). There have been various studies on the effectiveness of a privately appointed lawyer versus a public defender, results show there is little difference in the end result but there are pros and cons to each type of counsel.
Public Defense Pros
The simple fact that the Sixth Amendment of the Constitution allows all citizens to the right to retain legal counsel is in itself a luxury that people around the world are denied on a daily basis. Despite the stigma surrounding public defenders, they have significant advantages in both plea arrangements and trial courts. Public defenders tend to develop close relationships with prosecutors, this allows them to better negotiate fair and appropriate terms in a plea bargain (Cornwell, 2015). Additionally, public …show more content…
Public defenders are often over worked and carry a heavy case-load but in spite of that, they often develop good relationships with prosecutors and judges, which can give them advantages in court and plea bargaining. Private attorneys have smaller workloads and are therefore able to devote more time to the case and often a good relationship with the client that builds confidence in the defendant. Both public and private attorneys are essential to keeping the modern criminal justice system reasonable and
Public Defense Pros
The simple fact that the Sixth Amendment of the Constitution allows all citizens to the right to retain legal counsel is in itself a luxury that people around the world are denied on a daily basis. Despite the stigma surrounding public defenders, they have significant advantages in both plea arrangements and trial courts. Public defenders tend to develop close relationships with prosecutors, this allows them to better negotiate fair and appropriate terms in a plea bargain (Cornwell, 2015). Additionally, public …show more content…
Public defenders are often over worked and carry a heavy case-load but in spite of that, they often develop good relationships with prosecutors and judges, which can give them advantages in court and plea bargaining. Private attorneys have smaller workloads and are therefore able to devote more time to the case and often a good relationship with the client that builds confidence in the defendant. Both public and private attorneys are essential to keeping the modern criminal justice system reasonable and