Anthem College Assistance of Counsel for The Accused in Criminal Prosecutions Letter

T he Sixth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution guarantees theassistance of counsel for the accused in criminal prosecutions. Everyaccused has the right to be represented by an attorney in a criminaltrial and if he or she cannot afford an attorney, the government willappoint an attorney at no cost to the defendant.

The attorney’s duties are to

• Advise the defendant of his rights and explain the criminal process
• Ensure the court proceedings follow the law and that the defendant’s constitutional rights are protected
• Negotiate for plea bargaining when appropriate
• Zealously r epresent the defendant at trial

The duties of the private defense attorney and/or the appointed public defender attorney are equal.

Write a four to five page paper to the topic:

• Compare and contrast the legal representation by a private defense attorney versus a public defender?
  • Does money buy a better defense?