It’s All About Timing: Preliminary Findings on the Importance of When the Public Defender is Appointed

• In Event: Data in Indigent Defense: Rights Waivers by Unrepresented Misdemeanor Defendants

Abstract

Research studies on the effectiveness of counsel and the type of legal representation are mixed. No systematic study, however, has explored the importance of when public defenders are appointed on case outcomes. Building on prior research, preliminary bivariate findings show that the timing of when counsel is hired and appointed in misdemeanor cases matters, and it matters more for public defender representation. Delayed appointments of public defenders were related to several negative outcomes. Directions for future research and potential policy implications will be discussed.

Author

• Sean Maddan, Texas A&M International University