---
title: "Is a public defender really free?"
description: "Mostly. You do not pay the lawyer. But some states charge a small application fee to get a public defender. Some states add a court fee later if you are found guilty or if you make a plea. The bigger..."
url: https://www.chadbanklaw.com/faq-items/is-a-public-defender-really-free/
date: 2026-04-20
modified: 2026-06-04
author: "The Law Office of Chad F Bank"
type: avada_faq
lang: en
---

# Is a public defender really free?

Mostly. You do not pay the lawyer. But some states charge a small application fee to get a public defender. Some states add a court fee later if you are found guilty or if you make a plea. The bigger cost is not money. The cost is what you give up by having a lawyer with 300 other cases. You may save a few thousand dollars up front and then spend years on probation, or in jail, or with a record that keeps you from getting a job.