What term describes a defendant who cannot afford an attorney and receives counsel provided by the court?

• A. Self-represented
• B. Indigent
• C. Pro se
• D. Public defender

Answer: (B)

Indigent describes someone who lacks the financial means to hire an attorney, which triggers the court to provide counsel. When a defendant cannot afford a lawyer and the court assigns representation, they are considered indigent. A public defender is one example of the court-provided counsel they might receive, but the word that describes the defendant’s situation is indigent. In contrast, pro se or self-represented means the defendant is choosing to represent themselves, not receiving court-appointed counsel, and a public defender refers to the attorney or office assigned to represent an indigent defendant rather than to the defendant’s status.