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Free Lawyer
Posted by: Didn't Do It ()
Date: December 16, 2011 09:09PM

Is this true?

"In all felony cases and in any misdemeanor case involving the possibility of a jail sentence, an indigent (poor) defendant may have a lawyer appointed by the court. In such a case, the court must first determine that the defendant cannot afford a lawyer. The Commonwealth pays the court-appointed lawyer, but if the defendant is found guilty, the amount will be charged to the defendant as part of the court
costs and entered as a judgment against the defendant."

If I'm found guilty then I have to pay whatever the appointed lawyer charges? If I don't have money for a lawyer, how do I pay for one with no limit on the cost?

It may be cheaper to go without a lawyer and just pay the fine if I lose.

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Re: Free Lawyer
Posted by: Bill.N. ()
Date: December 16, 2011 09:27PM

If you have no money, why would you care? They can hit you with $500 in court costs or $1,500 in court costs and attorneys fees. (Virginia pays court appointed attorneys really shitty rates.) Does that really make that much of a difference to you when you aren't going to pay it anyways? OTOH wouldn't you rather spend just a few weeks in jail on the deal that your court appointed attorney works out for you, or would you rather spend a year or two in prison?

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