Rhode Island General Laws > Chapter 12-15 – Public Defender


§ 12-15-1	Office created
§ 12-15-2	Appointment and term of public defender
§ 12-15-3	Duty to represent indigent defendants
§ 12-15-4	Office facilities
§ 12-15-5	Powers to accept grants and bequests
§ 12-15-6	Assistant defenders
§ 12-15-7	Appropriations for expenses
§ 12-15-8	“Indigent defendants” defined
§ 12-15-9	Eligibility for assistance
§ 12-15-10	Confidential nature of financial statement
§ 12-15-11	Penalty for false representation

Advice and consent: Under the Constitution, presidential nominations for executive and judicial posts take effect only when confirmed by the Senate, and international treaties become effective only when the Senate approves them by a two-thirds vote.
Affidavit: A written statement of facts confirmed by the oath of the party making it, before a notary or officer having authority to administer oaths.
Assets: (1) The property comprising the estate of a deceased person, or (2) the property in a trust account.
Bequest: Property gifted by will.
Conviction: A judgement of guilt against a criminal defendant.
Defendant: In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.
person: may be construed to extend to and include co-partnerships and bodies corporate and politic. See Rhode Island General Laws 43-3-6
Public defender: Represent defendants who can't afford an attorney in criminal matters.