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
Murphy worked from 1971-1978 in the Cook County public defender’s office, then in private practice until she was elected judge of the circuit court in 1989.
—
Donna Vickroy, Chicago Tribune, 5 Feb. 2025
While lawyers rising through the ranks of the FBI is fairly common, Veltri’s ascent from a local public defender’s office defending accused indigents to the head of a major FBI field office probing federal crimes is an unusual path.
—Jay Weaver, Miami Herald, 5 Feb. 2025
Last year, Zeno was criticized by a union representing public defenders for firing two lawyers in the midst of a union election.
—Molly Crane-Newman, New York Daily News, 31 Jan. 2025
Patel, in contrast, worked as a public defender in Florida before working as a prosecutor in the Justice Department's National Security Division for a few years.
—Ryan Lucas, NPR, 30 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for public defender
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Donna Vickroy, Chicago Tribune, 5 Feb. 2025
While lawyers rising through the ranks of the FBI is fairly common, Veltri’s ascent from a local public defender’s office defending accused indigents to the head of a major FBI field office probing federal crimes is an unusual path.
—Jay Weaver, Miami Herald, 5 Feb. 2025
Last year, Zeno was criticized by a union representing public defenders for firing two lawyers in the midst of a union election.
—Molly Crane-Newman, New York Daily News, 31 Jan. 2025
Patel, in contrast, worked as a public defender in Florida before working as a prosecutor in the Justice Department's National Security Division for a few years.
—Ryan Lucas, NPR, 30 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for public defender
Cite this Entry
“Public defender.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/public%20defender. Accessed 28 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share