TNL Mock TrialTNL MOCK TRIALSign up
YOUR DEFENSE, YOUR VOICE

Your public defender has 90 cases. You have one.

Walk into every meeting with a written record, the right questions, and a clear ask — so your defender can actually move your case.

Sign up for TNL Mock TrialFind my path

Sound familiar?

The playbook

  1. 01

    Build your case file

    One organized timeline, contact log, and document list your defender can read in five minutes.

  2. 02

    Ask the ten questions

    Discovery status, charges, exposure, plea terms, motions filed, next dates, and who to call when you can't reach them.

  3. 03

    Put every ask in writing

    Short, dated, specific requests create a paper trail and get faster answers.

  4. 04

    Rehearse the conversation

    Practice the meeting and the hearing out loud before either one happens for real.

Attached resources

Included with your TNL Mock Trial signup for this path.

Common questions

What should I ask my public defender at our first meeting?
Ask six things: what exactly am I charged with, what does discovery show, what is my maximum exposure, what plea offers exist and what do they require, what motions can be filed, and what are my next court dates. Bring the questions written down and take notes on the answers.
What can I do if my public defender never calls me back?
Put every request in writing with a date, keep a contact log of each call and email, and send short, specific asks instead of open questions. If weeks pass with no response, write to the supervising attorney in the defender's office and reference your log.
Is a public defender as good as a private attorney?
Public defenders are licensed criminal defense attorneys and are often highly experienced in the local courthouse. The real constraint is caseload, not skill, which is why an organized client who arrives with a timeline, documents, and clear questions gets far more out of the relationship.
Do I have to accept a plea deal my attorney recommends?
No. The decision to plead is always yours. Ask for the offer in writing, the sentence range if you lose at trial, and the immigration, housing, and employment consequences before you answer.
THE ONLY NEXT STEP

Rehearse help with your public defender before it's real.

Sign up for TNL Mock Trial and run your situation in a room where mistakes cost nothing.

Sign up for TNL Mock Trial

Other paths

Do I have a case?

Learn what a claim or defense actually needs — facts, harm, proof, deadlines — and see where yours is strong or thin before anyone bills you an hour.

Help with citizenship

Understand the steps, the interview, and the hearing — and practice answering under pressure, in plain language, before your date.

How to prepare for court

A rehearsal-first plan: what to bring, what to wear, what to say, when to stop talking — practiced out loud until it's boring.

What's the process?

See the whole path — filing, service, discovery, motions, negotiation, hearing, judgment, appeal — and where you are on it right now.

Is it legal?

Learn how to research a rule, read what it actually says, and tell the difference between illegal, unenforceable, and just unfair.