A criminal defense lawyer appointed and paid to represent indigent persons charged with crimes. A public defender can either be a private attorney who accepts such cases and is compensated for each case, or a salaried attorney of a public defender agency. Also called "P.D."
"I don't have enough money to hire my own attorney. I am going to have to ask for a public defender."
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Some poor schmuck was given the sad job of defending poor private fools against acts of larceny perpetrated by the entirety of the general public. He seldom has the integrity to look his client in the eyes because he knows the public always treads on the private.
The importance we place on justice can always be measured by the amount of resources given to the postmodern Public Defender in proportion to the amount of resources given to the Attorney General.
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Anyone who has a job or role that involves defending the public, such as a police officer, security guard, or any of those militia organizations not regulated by the government
The public defender shot a nearby robber who attempted to rob a gas station with a shotgun.