Different Types of Indigent Defense

Once you have decided that you want to be a public defender, you have to think about what kind of defender you want to be. The links below describe some of the many different kinds of public defender jobs that exist out there. Obviously the short descriptions here are going to involve some generalizations about the differences between and among types of defender work. There are certain to be exceptions to these descriptions. The goal of this section is merely to give you a sense of these different kinds of jobs. You should research individual offices to see to what extent they conform to these more general descriptions.

Trial versus Appellate versus Postconviction Work

Federal versus State Work

Specialty Areas in Indigent Defense Representation