An assistant public defender, before employment, must be licensed to practice law in this state and be competent to counsel and defend a person charged with a crime. A public defender may assign and substitute his assistant public defenders to cases referred to the office of the public defender without prior approval of the court.

Terms Used In South Dakota Codified Laws 7-16A-7

  • Person: includes natural persons, partnerships, associations, cooperative corporations, limited liability companies, and corporations. See South Dakota Codified Laws 2-14-2
  • Public defender: Represent defendants who can't afford an attorney in criminal matters.

Source: SL 1978, ch 152, §§ 7, 11.