In a criminal lawsuit, it is the government that charges an individual or organization with a crime. If a person is charged with a criminal offense, he/she needs to have a criminal defense lawyer to represent his/her case. But what about if the accused cannot afford to have one? Well, there is still a bright side. The state gives the defendant a free defense lawyer which is called pro bono legal representation to handle the criminal case of defendants who cannot afford to hire a legal council. It is stated in the sixth amendment of the constitution that each person who is charged with a certain crime is entitled to have a lawyer to defend his/her case. The term pro bono publico or simply known as pro bono, came from the Latin phrase meaning "for the public good". Generally, lawyers who render their services for this type of legal work are not paid. They voluntarily give their services for free to people who have small income.
A criminal charge is a serious issue and defendants need to have good lawyers that can save his/her client jail time and money. Criminal attorneys can also either defend the case or prosecute it depending on their specialty. They will investigate and research their client's case and debate it in court. A pro bono criminal defense lawyer can offer a plea agreement for their clients, which means that the suspect's sentence can be lowered in exchange of admitting a lesser crime. However, it tedious work to look for a committed pro bono criminal defense lawyer.
Like many free services, lawyers who give pro-bono legal representation don't really advertise their services because of their hectic schedules. Some of them are overloaded with a great number of clients. If you have been arrested for a certain crime and you still don't have a lawyer to defend your case, you can get referrals from friends or people who might be able to provide contact numbers of lawyers who can take some pro bono cases. Some law firms also have pro bono coordinators. You or your family can contact these firms and ask if there are lawyers who are willing to represent for a criminal case. Most law schools may also have connections to free law clinics and might be a relevant resource for you.