Terms Used In Idaho Code 19-5902

  • Appeal: A request made after a trial, asking another court (usually the court of appeals) to decide whether the trial was conducted properly. To make such a request is "to appeal" or "to take an appeal." One who appeals is called the appellant.
  • Appellate: About appeals; an appellate court has the power to review the judgement of another lower court or tribunal.
  • Public defender: Represent defendants who can't afford an attorney in criminal matters.
  • State: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the territories; and the words "United States" may include the District of Columbia and territories. See Idaho Code 73-114
The legislature recognizes that the cost of legal representation of indigent defendants upon the appeal of their criminal convictions, particularly convictions for first-degree murder, is an extraordinary burden on the counties of this state. In order to reduce this burden and provide competent counsel, but avoid paying high hourly rates to independent counsel to represent indigent defendants in appellate proceedings, the legislature finds it necessary to create the office of the state appellate public defender.