NYS Office of Indigent Legal Services Alfred E. Smith Bldg. A defendant who is indigent has a constitutional right to court-appointed representation, according to a 1963 Supreme Court decision, Gideon v. Wainright. Impoverished, or unable to afford the necessities of life. A public defender is a lawyer appointed to represent people who otherwise cannot reasonably afford to hire a lawyer to defend themselves in a trial.Several countries, including the UK, Hungary and Singapore, and some states of Australia, provide people with public defenders. Indigence definition is - a level of poverty in which real hardship and deprivation are suffered and comforts of life are wholly lacking. inclusion in Cornell Law Review by an authorized administrator of Scholarship@Cornell Law: A Digital Repository. Synonym Discussion of indigence. How to use indigence in a sentence. disposition of unclaimed indigent bodies. For more information, please contactjmp8@cornell.edu. There is a similar indigent application form for a criminal case to request a public defender. Health law - in determining whether a patient is medically indigent, County Boards can impute a patient's potential income and future tax returns - St. Luke's Magic Valley Reg'l Med. v. Bd. Indigent definition, lacking food, clothing, and other necessities of life because of poverty; needy; poor; impoverished. Determination of indigency; guidelines; statement of indigence; appointment of counsel. See more. 2) n. one without sufficient income to afford a lawyer for defense in a criminal case. In a general sense an "indigent" person is one who is'needy and … § 19.2-159. This constitutional right of counsel for the indigent was determined by Gideon v. 80 S. Swan Street Suite 1147 Albany, NY 12210 Tel: 518-486-2028 E-Mail:Info@ils.ny.govInfo@ils.ny.gov The Oregon Indigent Disposition Program has been in existence since the Oregon State Legislature assigned responsibility for reimbursement to the Health Division in 1993. Recommended Citation Don D. Buchwald,Indigent Criminal Defendants Constitutional Right to Compensated … Ctr. Legal definition for INDIGENT: A person so poor so as to be unable to afford the most basic life necessities. A. Thus, one of the areas CLRP focuses on is creating or improving indigent defense systems to ensure quality representation for all defendants, regardless of income or social status. If the court finds a person is an indigent, the court must appoint a public defender or other attorney to represent him/her. Access to an attorney means little if they lack the time, resources, or skills to be an effective advocate. In civil law suits, if a consumer has an income less than 200% of the federal poverty guidelines; and minimal assets, he, is likely eligible for civil indigent status. of County Comm'rs of Gooding Count Prior to that legislation, the responsibility for paying for indigent disposition fell solely to the county. Indigent status allows the clerks of court to waive filing fees and court costs.