public defender
noun
: a lawyer usually holding public office whose duty is to defend accused persons unable to pay for legal assistance
Examples of public defender in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Attorney Brigette Borup, a public defender in Canyon County, Idaho, said many of her clients have no recollection of those interactions with police.
—
Shoshana Walter, CBS News, 10 Feb. 2026
Representatives for the Los Angeles County public defender’s office, which is representing the soccer coach, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
—James Queally, Los Angeles Times, 10 Feb. 2026
In court, Tillman was upbeat and talkative with his federal public defender, Varell Fuller, prior to making his guilty plea.
—Robert Salonga, Mercury News, 9 Feb. 2026
Frank was represented during the bulk of the case by public defender Dana Sanetti.
—Ginny Monk, Hartford Courant, 7 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for public defender
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Shoshana Walter, CBS News, 10 Feb. 2026
Representatives for the Los Angeles County public defender’s office, which is representing the soccer coach, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
—James Queally, Los Angeles Times, 10 Feb. 2026
In court, Tillman was upbeat and talkative with his federal public defender, Varell Fuller, prior to making his guilty plea.
—Robert Salonga, Mercury News, 9 Feb. 2026
Frank was represented during the bulk of the case by public defender Dana Sanetti.
—Ginny Monk, Hartford Courant, 7 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for public defender
Cite this Entry
“Public defender.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/public%20defender. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
