Request a Specific Fort Bend County Court Appointed Attorney

The process and how to Request a Specific Fort Bend County Court 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.

• Fort Bend County utilizes Court Appointed 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 Office of Indigent Defense Department.

• 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.

• The below link is the Application for which a Defendant can apply for Court Appointed Counsel.

• 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 Fort Bend County, TX - Coming Soon.