A
criminal defense lawyer, also known as a
defense attorney, is a
lawyer specializing in the
defense of individuals and companies charged with
criminal activity. Some criminal defense lawyers are privately retained, while others are employed by the various jurisdictions with criminal courts for appointment to represent
indigent persons; the latter are generally called
public defenders. The terminology is imprecise because each jurisdiction may have different practices with various levels of input from state and federal law or
consent decrees. Some jurisdictions use a rotating system of appointments with judges appointing a private practice attorney or firm for each case.