Request a Specific Collin County Court Appointed Attorney
Collin County Court Appointed Attorney Process:
How to Request a Specific Appointed Attorney -
Being arrested is scary therefore it is reasonable that an Accused should should have a minimal amount of CHOICE in their appointed attorney.
Collin County utilizes Attorneys taken off a “rotating wheel” and which comply with the local Indigent Defense Plan.
This “rotating wheel” is technically managed by the Courts but daily operations is left to the County Indigent Defense Managed Counsel. It is not clear if the Indigent Defense Managed Counsel is an actual county office or is merely certain county personnel that operate under the local Courts.
But remember, the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure 26.04 allows a Judge to bypass the next attorney on that county’s appointment “list” for “good cause” thus it is reasonable to assume that especially early on an Indigent Defendant has the right to “request” a particular Attorney that is already on the “rotating wheel”. This “request” is subject to the Judges discretion based on “good cause” being whatever that Judge considers “good cause”.
This type of “request” can be made orally in court but it is recommended that a written motion making such request instead be filed. The earlier in the process this occurs, hopefully being even before Arraignment, increases the probability of success.
Suggestion: Reach out to some of the court appointed attorneys (aka…shop) then simply advise the Court that you did your due diligence and are asking for a specific attorney of your choosing under “good cause”. At worst the Court denies and at best the Court grants the request.
Collin County is clear that an Application Request for Court Appointed Counsel must be completed and submitted. Below is the Collin County “Indigent Defense Request Form”
Again, at worst the Court simply says no and appoints the next available attorney.
Here is the list of attorney’s accepting court appointments in Collin County, TX - Coming Soon.