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
Neither the district attorney nor public defender’s office responded immediately to a request for comment.
—
Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 18 Feb. 2026
According to Connecticut’s Open Payroll website, the state’s chief public defender, John Day, earns $248,023 per year while Patrick Griffin, the chief state’s attorney, makes $233,786.
—Keith M. Phaneuf, Hartford Courant, 17 Feb. 2026
Launched in mid-2021, Ramsey County has used a collaborative team — including prosecutors, public defenders and community members — to decide which youth cases can be handled through restorative justice instead of traditional court.
—Stephen Swanson, CBS News, 17 Feb. 2026
Chan has been a senior deputy public defender at the Orange County Public Defender’s Office since 2025, and also was a deputy public defender from 2013 to 2024.
—Samantha Gowen, Oc Register, 16 Feb. 2026
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Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 18 Feb. 2026
According to Connecticut’s Open Payroll website, the state’s chief public defender, John Day, earns $248,023 per year while Patrick Griffin, the chief state’s attorney, makes $233,786.
—Keith M. Phaneuf, Hartford Courant, 17 Feb. 2026
Launched in mid-2021, Ramsey County has used a collaborative team — including prosecutors, public defenders and community members — to decide which youth cases can be handled through restorative justice instead of traditional court.
—Stephen Swanson, CBS News, 17 Feb. 2026
Chan has been a senior deputy public defender at the Orange County Public Defender’s Office since 2025, and also was a deputy public defender from 2013 to 2024.
—Samantha Gowen, Oc Register, 16 Feb. 2026
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 20 Feb. 2026.
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