What is the difference between hiring an attorney and using the appointed public defender?

Video Transcript

While both individuals would be an attorney of law, in other words, admitted by the Florida Bar, able to practice law, able to be your attorney, the difference is when you hire a private attorney, you have a choice about who your attorney is going to be. When you have a public defender who is appointed by the court, you may end up with someone who you love, you may not. You don’t really have a huge amount of choice when it comes to who your public defender is going to be. Other than that, there’s no substantial difference in terms of what an attorney is able to do, or what a public defender is able to do. They’re all attorneys.

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