Request a Specific Travis County Court Appointed Attorney

Every County is different but in 2017/2018 “on average, attorneys appointed by Texas courts are paid $200 for a misdemeanor case and $600 for a non-capital felony”

Here is the Real Deal on how the process works and how to Request a Specific Travis County Court Appointed Attorney:

• The above statement of fact is scary therefore it is reasonable that an Accused should should have a minimal amount of CHOICE in their appointed attorney.

• Travis County has a Public Defender’s Office (Travis County Public Defender’s Office) that has quite extensive areas of expertise some being the Felony Section; Misdemeanor Section; Juvenile Section and Mental Health Section.

• The Travis County Courts and Travis County have transferred the operation and management of appointment of Private Attorneys to the local Non-Profit called The Capital Area Private Defenders Service (CAPDS).

• CAPDS manages and appoints private attorneys on a wheel like selection system which complies with the local Indigent Defense Plan.

• CAPDS also assists in appointed counsel’s request for investigator services and/or requests for expert witness services.

• In sum, depending on conflict, availability and volume the Travis County Courts will typically assign Counsel from either or to the Dallas County Public Defender’s Officer or alternatively appoint counsel either to or from the CAPDS.

• But, 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” here being part of the CAPDS. This “request” is subject to the Judges discretion based on “good cause” being whatever that Judge considers “good cause”.

• Suggestion: Reach out to some of the court appointed attorneys that are part of CAPDS (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. But also remember that the Judge might simply refer the request to CAPDS and if so simply make the request directly to CAPDS.

• Again, at worst the Court simply says no and continues to utilize the CAPDS or appoints the Travis County Public Defenders Office as it sees fit.

• Here is the list of CAPDS attorneys accepting court appointments in Travis County, TX - Coming Soon.