How do I get a public defender to represent me? Where do I go?
You will have to ask the judge to appoint the Office of the Public
Defender to represent you. Whether or not the judge appoints an attorney
to represent you will depend on how serious the charges are and whether
the judge believes that you could afford to hire your own attorney. If
you ask for an attorney, you will probably be asked questions about
your financial situation. In order to request an attorney, you should
contact the clerk of the county court who will schedule you before a
judge.
Where is your office? How do I get there?
The Public Defender's Office is located in the
Courthouse Plaza,
633 S 9th St,
Lincoln, NE 68508.
I need a Public Defender to file for divorce, work out child support,
or landlord/tenant problems.
The Public Defender is only appointed to represent people in criminal
matters, including felonies, misdemeanors, juvenile court, mental health
hearings and appeals to the Nebraska Court of Appeals and Nebraska
Supreme Court. To receive help on divorce matters or landlord/tenant
problems, you will need to contact Legal Services of Southeast Nebraska,
located at 825 Terminal Building (10th and O Streets). Their
phone number is 435-2161. If you are in court for a contempt action for
failure to pay child support, you will need to ask for a court-appointed
attorney at your first court hearing before the District Court Referee. If
you qualify, the Referee will recommend to the District Judge that an
attorney be appointed to represent you and you will be given further
information on who your attorney will be.
I forgot my court date, how do I find out when it is?
If you have just been arraigned in County Court, and the Public
Defender is appointed, you will be given a sheet of paper which lists
the date, time and location of your next court appearance. If you
do not have that available, you can call the Public Defender's Office,
441-7631 and our receptionist will be happy to look it up for you. If
the Public Defender's Office does not represent you, you may call the
Clerk of the county Court.
