Those charged with a criminal offense in the U.S. have the option to request a public defender, rather than hire a private attorney to argue their case. The New Jersey Office of the Public Defender can have some skilled lawyers, but there are many reasons why a person should strongly consider hiring a private attorney:
Lack of choice. One cannot choose which lawyer from the public defender’s office one gets. By contrast, a person can select from many private firms, finding an attorney who seems both aggressive and trustworthy.
Experience. Many criminal defense attorneys begin their careers as public defenders. As such, there is a good chance that a public defender will have less experience than those working for private firms.
Time. Public defenders often have significantly higher caseloads than private attorneys. This limits the amount of time they can dedicate to each client. Private attorneys can pick and choose which cases they want to take on, giving each case as much time as it needs.
No free defense. In New Jersey, those who hire a public defender are often still charged a fee for the service.