FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
If you’re represented by the Public Defender, give us a call at 423-634-8646. A member of our staff will be able to help you. If you’re not represented by the Public Defender, call the Circuit Court Clerk’s Office in the county where your case is pending. Contact information for these offices can be found here.
Give us a call at 423-634-8646. If you’re represented by the Public Defender, a member of our staff will be able to tell you which attorney is assigned to your case.
Give us a call at 423-634-8646. You can either speak with your attorney or leave a voicemail. If your attorney is not available when you call, he or she will return your phone call promptly.
Because of rules concerning client confidentiality, we cannot discuss the details of our clients’ cases with others, even with close friends or family. If you have information about your loved one’s case that you think we should know, however, please give us a call at 423-634-8646.
No. Our office can only represent people in cases where we are appointed by a judge.
If you cannot afford an attorney in a criminal case, one may be appointed to represent you. This requires an order from a court finding you to be indigent. If you would like to request appointed counsel, print this form, fill it out, and bring it with you to court. The judge will usually ask at the beginning of the docket whether anyone would like to have a lawyer appointed in their case. When the judge asks, simply say that you are requesting that the Public Defender represent you.
No. By law, the Public Defender may only be appointed in criminal or juvenile delinquency cases that carry a potential loss of liberty.
Legal aid organizations are sometimes available to help those who cannot afford to hire an attorney in certain civil matters.
For further information, contact Legal Aid of East Tennessee (Bledsoe, Marion, Rhea, and Sequatchie Counties) or Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands (Franklin and Grundy Counties).
If you have missed court, immediately call us at 423-634-8646 and ask to speak to your attorney.
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