What are the guidelines to qualify for a public defender?
You qualify for a public defender if you are unable to afford competent, qualified legal representation on your own. You automatically qualify for a public defender if you receive public assistance (food stamps, Medicaid, Disability, reside in public housing/Section 8 vouchers, etc,) or if you earn less than 200% of the Federal Poverty Guideline, or if you are serving a sentence in a correctional institution or housed in a mental health facility. If the above criteria are not met, a more thorough examination is done, which considers the seriousness of the offense, monthly expenses, needs of dependents, and local counsel rates. You can have a job and still qualify for a public defender.
