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

Miller said that some judges want to see documentation of all a client’s assets, while some take public defenders at their word. — Evelyn Ronan, Sacbee.com, 20 Aug. 2026

Patrick Barnett was assigned a public defender, prosecutors said; a representative for that office could not immediately be reached for comment Thursday. — David K. Li, NBC news, 20 Aug. 2026

The judge overseeing the proceedings recently granted a motion from Elizabeth’s public defender Tommy Stolly seeking a mental health evaluation of the mother. — Chris Spargo, PEOPLE, 20 Aug. 2026

Seabright denied a motion by the federal public defender’s office to reconsider his ruling. — Brittny Mejia, Los Angeles Times, 19 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1822, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for public defender

• bartender
• contender
• engender
• extender
• offender
• pretender
• provender
• surrender
• suspender
• transgender
• bender
• blender

Legal Definition

public defender

noun

: a lawyer usually holding public office who represents criminal defendants unable to pay for legal assistance