It is up to the Judge of the Court in which the case is filed to determine whether a lawyer should be appointed. In some Districts this function is referred to the Public Defender Office itself. This varies in each District depending on the number of cases, the budget of the Public Defender Office, and when a person is arrested. The Public Defender has a duty to communicate with clients just as any other lawyer. Generally, a person should be seen within a few days of arrest.
Many programs make contact immediately.
If the client has problems with communication, the District Court Judge should be notified. A Public Defender must act as any lawyer, and he has no less obligation than a paid attorney. He must investigate the case, advise the client on the law, and present any defense in Court. This is an agreement about what the client did wrong and what the penalty should be. In Louisiana, if the case is punishable by more than 6 months in Jail, the client is entitled to a Jury Trial.