Justice System, Police, Courts General question about defense attorneys

[obo01]

Jurisdiction

Illinois

Are defense attorneys as good as paid for attorneys

 

[cbg]

In some cases they're better.

 

[justblue]

Are defense attorneys as good as paid for attorneys

Huh? Defense Attorney are "paid for attorney's" unless they are working pro bono.

 

[obo01]

Nice . I hope I never need one. But good to know

 

[cbg]

I think he's referring to public defenders.

 

[Tax Counsel]

Are defense attorneys as good as paid for attorneys

What are you asking about specifically? Criminal defense attorneys? Civil defense attorneys? If criminal, are you asking about private defense counsel that you hire and pay entirely on your own, or public/appointed defense counsel that is selected by the court or public defenders office and paid for by the government? And in what state? All those details matter as there are a lot of different defense attorneys out there and what they get paid varies quite a bit.

 

[zddoodah]

Are defense attorneys as good as paid for attorneys

That's like asking which is better: an orange or a cat.

All attorneys are "paid for attorneys." In the case of criminal defense attorneys, it's simply a question of who's paying the bill.

My guess is that the question you intended to ask is whether public defenders are "as good as" private defense attorneys. If that's what you intended to ask, the answer is that some public defenders are better at some things than some private attorneys, but some private attorneys are better at some things than some public defenders. The biggest distinction between public defenders and private defense attorneys is that public defenders are typically overworked and don't that the time to devote to each individual case as each individual client might like.

 

[justblue]

I think he's referring to public defenders.

I know...I was just making a point.

 

[obo01]

That's like asking which is better: an orange or a cat.

All attorneys are "paid for attorneys." In the case of criminal defense attorneys, it's simply a question of who's paying the bill.

My guess is that the question you intended to ask is whether public defenders are "as good as" private defense attorneys. If that's what you intended to ask, the answer is that some public defenders are better at some things than some private attorneys, but some private attorneys are better at some things than some public defenders. The biggest distinction between public defenders and private defense attorneys is that public defenders are typically overworked and don't that the time to devote to each individual case as each individual client might like.

Yes I did mean to say public defenders. If they can dismiss cases that's a plus.

 

[obo01]

What are you asking about specifically? Criminal defense attorneys? Civil defense attorneys? If criminal, are you asking about private defense counsel that you hire and pay entirely on your own, or public/appointed defense counsel that is selected by the court or public defenders office and paid for by the government? And in what state? All those details matter as there are a lot of different defense attorneys out there and what they get paid varies quite a bit.

IL. I'm not having a case or intend to have one. But just wanted to know. I understand civil cases don't get free attorneys unless its a contingency based injury attorney or through a legal aid for non criminal. I'm up on that already.

 

[Zigner]

If they can dismiss cases that's a plus.

No defense attorneys, public or private, can dismiss a case against their client.

 

[zddoodah]

If they can dismiss cases that's a plus.

No criminal defense attorney has the ability to dismiss a case. A defense attorney can file a motion to dismiss, which the court will consider and either grant or deny. The prosecutor may also be able to dismiss the charges, but the defense attorney cannot.