Indigent Defense Office (Court Appointed Attorney)

You may apply for a Court Appointed Attorney at various different steps in the legal process, but you must complete an Affidavit in Support of Court Appointed Attorney in all instances.

---

Very Important: To be considered for court appointed counsel, every question on the affidavit form must be answered completely.

---

1. Prior to Magistration

All persons incarcerated are provided the opportunity to complete an Affidavit in Support of Court Appointed Attorney prior to magistrate warnings at the Brazos County jail. If you did not apply for an attorney at your initial Magistration appearance and you remain incarcerated, you may ask jail personnel for an application and forward the request to the Indigent Defense Office for review.

2. At Your First Court Appearance

You may apply for a court appointed attorney at your first court appearance or any time prior to your first court appearance by completing a notarized Affidavit in Support of Court Appointed Attorney and returning it to the Indigent Defense Office for review. You may return your form in person, during normal business hours, or via email to AC1@brazoscountytx.gov.

You must meet the criteria set forth in the Brazos County Indigent Defense Plan to qualify for court appointed counsel. The plan provides a completed explanation of qualifications and how attorneys are selected.

It is your responsibility to contact your court-appointed attorney within 10 days of appointment regarding your case. If your attorney does not answer, you must leave a voicemail message with your name, contact information, and reason for calling. You are responsible for maintaining communication with your attorney throughout the pendency of your case and must promptly notify your attorney of any changes to your telephone number, mailing address, email address, or other contact information. Failure to maintain contact with your attorney may negatively affect your case and could result in adverse consequences.