The Sixth Amendment to the United States Constitution protects the rights of defendants in criminal trials, including an individual's right to legal representation and the assistance of counsel in his or her defense.

A Public Defender is an attorney assigned by the court and employed at public expense to represent defendants who cannot afford to hire legal counsel for themselves.

In Nevada, a Public Defender's main practice area is criminal defense; however, there are some exceptions to this rule, such as juvenile delinquency, protection of children from abuse or neglect ("432B cases"), and civil involuntary commitments.

Despite common misconceptions and stereotypes, Public Defenders are highly educated members of the legal community and are fully licensed to practice law. 

The attorneys in the Carson City Public Defender's Office have all received professional law degrees from an ABA-approved law schools and completed and passed the Nevada State Bar Exam.

Sure!  You may hire your own attorney if you have the financial means to afford private counsel.  

The attorneys in the Carson City Public Defender's Office are in and out of court all day, every day. 

Every attorney dedicates a significant amount time catching up on client emails and phone calls; however, the majority of time is spent communicating with clients for whom they have urgent news, or whose cases are set for hearing within the next 1-2 weeks.

If you have important information for your attorney, please call the office and leave a message with your attorney's legal assistant. They will make sure your information is documented in your file and that your message reaches your attorney.  

Also, we welcome you to contact the office at any time to check on the status of your case.  Our office staff will assist you as much as possible if your attorney is not available to receive your phone call.  

Generally, the attorneys in the Public Defender's Office do not have time to speak with every concerned friend or family member who contacts the Office to inquire about a case. 

Furthermore, the Office is not obligated to speak with anyone but its clients about cases.  This protects defendants' confidentiality.

In most circumstances, the Office will refrain from discussing cases with anyone but defendants.  This policy also applies to juveniles in delinquency matters. 

Conflict Counsel are private attorneys who are contracted by Carson City to provide indigent defense in cases where the Carson City Public Defender's Office has a conflict of interest.  Conflicts of interest may arise for a variety of reasons. 

Conflict Counsel attorneys each have their own practices and are not affiliated the the Carson City Public Defender's Office. 

Carson City currently uses three main Conflict Counsel attorneys: Daniel Spence, Maria Pence, and John Arrascada.  You can find their contact information here.