Six counties.
One mission.
Got a court date coming up?
Here are a few things that can help your day in court go more smoothly:
- Be 15 minutes early to court. Your lawyer may need to speak to you before the judge calls the docket.
- Come prepared to stay all day. There are many cases on a given docket, and we cannot control when yours will be called. make any necessary childcare or work arrangements ahead of time. Avoid brining children to the courthouse if at all possible.
- Some courthouses don’t allow cell phones. If you are allowed to have one, turn it off or silence it. Don’t have your phone out in the courtroom, even if you are doing so silently.
- Dress nicely, like you’re going to a job interview. If you have a button-up shirt, wear it. If you don’t, a clean t-shirt will work.
- Don’t wear shorts or clothes with holes in them.
- Avoid spaghetti straps or clothing with graphics on them. Don’t wear clothes with profanity on them or that advocate drug use or other illegal activity.
- Be respectful to the judge, court personnel, and other people in the courthouse.
- Be silent in court unless you are asked a question. Let your lawyer speak for you.
- If he or she is in court, avoid talking to the police officer who arrested you. Once charges are filed, the decision on whether and to what extent a case is prosecuted lies with the district attorney. If you talk to the police officer, you might say something that actually hurts your case. Let your lawyer talk to the district attorney on your behalf.
- Don’t talk to the district attorney. It may be tempting to try to grab his or her attention and plead your case directly, but that is almost always a bad idea. Your lawyer is a professional; let him or her represent you.
- If you see one of the state’s witnesses in your case (such as the person accusing you of a crime), avoid that person. Do not sit near or speak to that person. Doing so could lead to an allegation that you are attempting to tamper with or influence a witness.
- If you have any questions or concerns on your court date, ask your lawyer. He or she is there to help you.
The 12th Judicial District Public Defender’s Office provides indigent representation across six counties, serving a population of over 150,000 people. For information about the court system in a specific county, please click below.