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public defender
noun
: a lawyer usually holding public office whose duty is to defend accused persons unable to pay for legal assistance
Examples of public defender in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Before starting his career with the FBI more than two decades ago, Veltri served as an assistant public defender in the Broward County Pubic Defender’s Office.
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Jay Weaver, Orlando Sentinel, 4 Feb. 2025
Maria Jacob, a public defender and Mr. English’s lawyer, did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment on Tuesday evening.
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Hank Sanders, New York Times, 29 Jan. 2025
The eight men and five women nominated to the Superior Court range in age from 41 to 65 and have a diversity of professional backgrounds: public defender, prosecutor, commercial litigation, legal aid, child protection and elder law.
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Mark Pazniokas, Hartford Courant, 28 Jan. 2025
Research has shown that judges who have backgrounds as public defenders tend to hand down less punitive sentences and incarcerate fewer people, a fact that criminal justice reform advocates have been stressing in their praise of Biden's judicial picks.
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Cooper Burton, ABC News, 16 Jan. 2025
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Word History
First Known Use
1822, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near public defender
Cite this Entry
“Public defender.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/public%20defender. Accessed 8 Feb. 2025.
Legal Definition
public defender
noun
: a lawyer usually holding public office who represents criminal defendants unable to pay for legal assistance
More from Merriam-Webster on public defender
Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for public defender
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about public defender
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