Do I need a federal public defender?
You may need a federal public defender if you have been charged with or are under investigation for a federal offense, if you were contacted by a federal law enforcement agency or any other agency concerning a federal investigation or alleged crime that could be federal, or if you were subpoenaed to appear in the U.S. District Court. Some of the federal agencies are the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Department of Justice (DOJ), Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and U.S. Postal Inspector.
You have the right to speak to an attorney before questioning and you have the right to have an attorney with you during questioning. If you cannot afford to pay for a lawyer, we can help you ask the court to appoint a lawyer to help you.
How to apply for a lawyer
Contact our office at (412) 644-6565 in Pittsburgh. Erie and Johnstown cases are handled by our Pittsburgh staff. A staff member will help you complete a financial affidavit to determine your eligibility for a lawyer at no cost to you. This affidavit will be submitted to the court for purposes of assessing your eligibility for an appointed lawyer at no cost.