Criminal Defense Attorney in Roanoke

Someone who cannot afford a criminal attorney in Roanoke has the legal right to ask the court to appoint an attorney to represent them. To do so, that person must:

• Explicitly ask the court to appoint a lawyer
• Provide the court with details of his or her financial situation, in order to prove need

The first chance you have to ask the court to appoint one of their Roanoke criminal law firms to represent you is at your arraignment.

Generally speaking, you either arrive at court on the appointed date as shown on your citation or bail receipt, or you are escorted to court by the sheriff if you have not posted bail. Once you are called before the judge, the judge inquires if you are represented by an attorney. If you are not, the judge asks if you would like to have a criminal law attorney in Roanoke appointed to represent you.

Who qualifies for appointed legal representation?

Should you say yes, some courts might appoint an available lawyer to represent you on the spot and complete your arraignment. Afterwards, you must complete a financial questionnaire to ensure you qualify for appointed representation. Other courts may delay your legal proceedings until you complete this questionnaire and your financial situation is reviewed before they appoint an attorney to represent you at the expense of the state.

States, and sometimes counties, make their own determinations regarding who qualifies for free legal representation. The seriousness of the charges may also affect this decision. For instance, the judge may determine that the same person can afford his or her own attorney for a short, relatively minor legal proceeding, but not for a serious crime that could lead to a lengthy court battle.

Some states also allow for partial indigency. This allows a judge to rule that a defendant who does not qualify for free representation, but cannot afford the full cost of private Roanoke criminal attorneys may receive the services of a court-appointed lawyer, but will have to reimburse the state or county for some costs of representation after the case is complete.

Roanoke criminal defense attorneys

Eric Spencer works with clients in the city of Roanoke and throughout:

Contact our Roanoke criminal defense lawyers for a free initial consultation. At Eric Roland Spencer, P.C., if it matters to you, it matters to us.