Court Appointed Counsel Information
Who is eligible for court appointed counsel?
A defendant of any legal action that may upon disposition be sentenced to jail or prison and who is found by the Court to be indigent is eligible for court appointed counsel. This would include any felony or misdemeanor charge in a criminal case or various contempt actions in a domestic relations case or protection order case.
How does someone apply for court appointed counsel and is there a charge?
A Financial Disclosure/Affidavit of Indigency Form must be completed. To obtain this form you may call the appropriate staff member (see below) at 419-562-5771 to have the form mailed to you or visit that staff member at the Common Pleas Court located on the Second Floor of the Crawford County Courthouse.
For Criminal Cases contact Nikki Dyer, extension 1159.
For Domestic Relations and CPO Cases contact Lisa Anatra, extension 1145.
A $25.00 non-refundable application fee will be assessed when submitting your Financial Disclosure/Affidavit of Indigency Form and is to be paid to the Clerk of Courts within seven (7) days of submitting your form.
How will I know if I’m approved for court appointed counsel?
Upon receipt of your completed Financial Disclosure/Affidavit of Indigency Form, the form will be presented to the appropriate magistrate or judge for review. Based upon their findings, you will be contacted by telephone or through the mail as to the outcome of your request. If you do qualify for court appointed counsel, further instruction will be provided to you in writing.
What attorney will handle my case if I qualify for court appointed counsel?
Crawford County does not have a public defenders office, but instead works off a list of attorneys who accept court appointment. If you have worked with an attorney in the past and wish that attorney be contacted if you should qualify, you must provide the name, telephone number, and/or address of the attorney when submitting your Financial Disclosure/Affidavit of Indigency Form to the Court. If you request a specific attorney and qualify for court appointed counsel, that attorney will be contacted to take your case. If that attorney does not accept appointment or if you do not request a specific attorney, the Court will select an attorney from the list spoken of above.
Financial Disclosure/Affidavit of Indigency
In Crawford County Common Pleas Court, it is the responsibility of counsel to confirm their indigent client has completed the Financial Disclosure/Affidavit of Indigency Form. If the Court determined eligibility in court, it is likely that a completed form is not on file. If a form has been filed with the Court, it will be held in the case file and recorded on the case docket as an Indigent Application.
Motion, Entry, and Certification for Appointed Counsel Fees
After the disposition of the case or the final hearing on the matter, counsel should complete this form and submit the original with three copies to the Common Pleas Court, attention Annette Johnston, immediately and no later than 30 days from the disposition or final hearing. Also included must be the original, if available, of the client’s Financial Disclosure/Affidavit of Indigency Form along with three copies. Please be aware, the request for payment will be returned, unpaid, if a Financial Disclosure/Affidavit of Indigency Form is not included.
If copies of the above-mentioned forms are needed, please contact Annette Johnston at 419-562-5771, Ext. 1150 or visit the website of the Office of the Ohio Public Defender at www.opd.ohio.gov.
