defense counsel
Accused's legal representative
Defense counsel is the lawyer or lawyers who represent a defendant in a legal proceeding, typically a criminal trial.
The term emphasizes the role rather than the individual: The defense counsel objected to the witness's testimony.
In American courts, defendants who cannot afford private attorneys are entitled to defense counsel appointed by the court, often a public defender.
The term is interchangeable with defense attorney or defense lawyer, though counsel sounds more formal and appears more often in courtroom contexts.
- court appointedDesignated by judicial authority
- attorneyLicensed legal representative
- exculpatory evidenceProof of innocence
- lawyerLicensed legal representative
- criminal trialCourt case for crimes
jury trial · Miranda rights · cross-examination · opening statement · defendant · acquittal · case dismissed · confidentiality · sentencing · barrister · client privilege · due process · legal research · plea bargaining · civil litigation · verdict · appellate court · trial
- Military Lawyersjudge advocate, military prosecutor, military judge, legal officer
- courtroomjudge, jury, oath taking, lawyer, bench
- criminal trialarraignment, courtroom, criminal trial, prosecutor, charges
- lawyerslawyer, attorney, counselor, prosecutor, district attorney
- Legal Careerslawyer, attorney, paralegal, solicitor, barrister
- representativesrepresentative, delegate, lawyer, deputy, rep
defense counselprosecutor
Government's trial lawyer
prosecuting attorney · district attorney · state's attorney · crown prosecutor · prosecution
defend, defense, defender, defended, counsel, defending, defenseless, defends, defenders