Defense Attorneys

Judges, prosecutors, and defense attorneys all help the court system run smoothly. Judges resolve legal matters based on each of the facts presented in the cases. Prosecutors act on behalf of all of society and charge the criminal suspect in the name of the government. Defense attorneys defend the defendant. A suspect is innocent until proven guilty and the defense attorneys main objective is to be sure that everyone receives that right. Each of the key players in the court system have roles to ensure no ones rights are compromised.
A judges main focus is resolving legal matters. While there are no formal qualifications to being a judge, there are several informal qualifications. It is more of a recommendation that a judge have professional competence. It helps when the judge understands the law but is not necessarily a requirement. Political qualifications help the judge make decisions that could effect other branches of government. Who a judge knows is a key component in helping him or her become a judge.
There are private attorneys and public attorneys. Everyone is entitled to an attorney if they are arrested. If a person cannot afford an attorney, he or she will be appointed one. However, in some cases, if a person has hired a private attorney and there is a conflict of interest with the attorney then a new attorney will be chosen. There are three different types of indignant defense systems or systems in which an attorney is not privately obtained. The first is assigned council. These are private bar members who accept cases on a case by case basis. The second is contract model. Nonprofit organizations and or lawyers create contracts with funding sources and provide representation in their jurisdiction. The final is public defender. Public defenders can either be government paid employees or work through a public or private non-profit organization. (Siegel, Schmalleger, Worrall, 2001,