Can I postpone my arraignment for DUI court hearing? Pasadena, CA. court

[FlyingRon]

DMV hearing went fine - will wait for opinion without putting too many details here (will wait until this entire issue is resolved). Court hearing resulted in 2 week arraignment delay so I can decide on lawyer or Public Defender. More to follow once concluded.

Public defenders are not some default for people unwilling to pay for attorneys. It is for the indigent facing incarceration who can't afford counsel. If you can afford counsel, you most likely do NOT qualify for a PD.

 

[CdwJava]

CdwJava: You are absolutely correct in your reply, and this is known to me. To be intentionally vague, today's DMV data, is future defense strategy where it really matters - at the courthouse.

Of course, what YOU might think is important may turn out to be legally nothing.

 

[Zigner]

Public defenders are not some default for people unwilling to pay for attorneys. It is for the indigent facing incarceration who can't afford counsel. If you can afford counsel, you most likely do NOT qualify for a PD.

He may very well be appointed counsel but then be ordered to reimburse the county for the cost.

 

[FlyingRon]

He may very well be appointed counsel but then be ordered to reimburse the county for the cost.

Not in California. Court appointed counsel only occurs at the appellate level there. The Public Defender's office covers initial criminal cases. Either the court or the PD office will screen for indigence before representing the client.

 

[Zigner]

Not in California. Court appointed counsel only occurs at the appellate level there. The Public Defender's office covers initial criminal cases. Either the court or the PD office will screen for indigence before representing the client.

We may be discussing semantics. To me, the PD *is* "court-appointed counsel. And, I have seen criminal cases where the defendant was appointed a PD by the court and then required to reimburse the county for the cost.

 

[CdwJava]

Most counties in CA don't even HAVE a public defender's office. They have attorneys that agree to take on such cases for a small fee, but there is no office of the public defender. And, if you lose, these counties also have a mechanism by where part of the fines and restitution is paying a portion of that fee back to the court.

And, I agree, the Public Defender IS court-appointed as he is not taking the case pro-bono, and the court will assign/approve the appointment of counsel.

 

[FlyingRon]

Most counties in CA don't even HAVE a public defender's office.

Pasadena is in LA County and they very much do have a public defender's office.

 

[CdwJava]

Pasadena is in LA County and they very much do have a public defender's office.

The fact still remains, that most counties do not have one so it is not a given universal that a PD's office will be involved in a particular case ... and, that a PD is essentially court-appointed counsel.

 

[Rey233]

Yeah even I agree. If you have a good DUI lawyer with you, he can really make a lot of difference. My brother is intern with some Los Angeles DUI attorney and he often tells that how lawyers at his firm manipulate thing to client’s benefit.