If you cannot afford an attorney, the court will appoint you counsel after determining you are indigent.

No, you will not have to pay to be represented by the CVPDO.

Yes, the CVPDO will represent you regardless of your residency or immigration status.

All indigent accused persons are entitled to court-appointed representation, regardless of immigration status or language. If no attorney at the CVPDO speaks the same language as the accused client, appropriate language interpretation services will be used to allow the client to fully discuss their case with their attorney.

Your attorney will use interpretation services to communicate effectively with you about your case. In court, a professional interpreter will translate what is being said in a hearing.

No, your public defender does not work for the State and is not affiliated with the District Attorney’s Offices or County Attorney’s Offices, which prosecute criminal cases.

You may contact your attorney prior to court.

Your attorney will provide you with your next court date. If you have not been appointed an attorney, then the court staff will provide you the information for your next court date.

The CVPDO will contact its clients by phone calls and in-person visits.

The information about your case will stay between you, your attorney, and other CVPDO staff assisting in your defense.

The CVPDO is located on the 1st Floor of the Judge Edd B. Keyes Building at 113 W. Beauregard Ave. San Angelo, TX 76903.

You may contact the CVPDO at 325.229.4671, info@cvpdo.org, or you may email or call your public defender.

Attorneys can be hard to reach because they cannot answer the phone when they are in court, visiting with clients in jail, speaking to other clients, or in a meeting. If your attorney does not answer, leave a voicemail with your name, call back number, what you need to speak to your attorney about, and when a good time to reach you is. It is a good idea to make sure your voicemail box is set up, and check it regularly for messages.

While the CVPDO is unable to represent our clients in non-criminal charges outside of Coke, Concho, Irion, Schleicher, Sterling, Tom Green, and Runnels counties, the CVPDO may refer you to other legal offices, groups, and/or organizations that may be able to assist you in your non-criminal case.

A petition for non-disclosure is a process used to seal part of your criminal record. The petition for non-disclosure is not available for every offense. In addition, certain agencies will continue to have access your criminal record.

An expungement is a method used to clear your criminal record. The expungement (similar to a non-disclosure) is not available for every offense.

Contact your attorney to see if you are eligible for a non-disclosure or an expungement.

Within forty-eight (48) hours of your arrest, you are entitled to be brought to magistrate court. Here, the court will determine if there was probable cause (“PC”) for your arrest. This is also when your bail will be set.

The time you should arrive to court depends on what your setting is for. We recommend arriving to court at least thirty (30) minutes before court begins to find parking, get through security, and check in with the court staff and your attorney. Your attorney will notify you of your court date and time. It is important to not be late for court.

Each judge has the power to set the guidelines for appearance in his/her own court. Please refer to each specific court’s policies. It is a good idea to try to be presentable and dress as you would to an important meeting. For example, tucking in your shirt. In general, it is a good idea to avoid shorts, flip-flops, ripped or dirty clothing, clothing with profanity or references to illegal or inappropriate activity, and clothing that is see through or revealing.

Here are some guidelines for your appearance in court:

• Jeans or slacks with no holes

• Button down shirt, polo, blouse, or sweater

• Skirt or dress

• Close-toed shoes

We suggest you do NOT wear these items in court:

• Shorts

• Low-cut or see-through tops

• Tops and bottoms with short hemlines

• Clothing with an emblem or wording that promotes illegal or inappropriate activity, or violence

When in doubt, ask your attorney about what to wear to court.

For your court appearance, bring any documents your attorney needs that will assist with your case. We recommend keeping all your documents for your case in a folder or a binder. In addition, bring a pen and paper to take notes. Some judges do NOT allow cell phones in court, so plan accordingly. Be careful NOT to bring anything that could be considered a weapon, including pocket knives or pepper spray.

The courtroom your case is in will be noted on the case reset form and/or in communications with your attorney.

The date of your case will be noted on the case reset form and/or in communications with your attorney.

A motion to return property may be filed to return your belongings to you.

If you are not represented by an attorney, you can file your own motions. This means you decide to represent yourself (pro se) for your case.

All staff at the CVPDO will be required to maintain confidentiality with a client in the same manner an attorney maintains client confidentiality. In addition to prepare your defense, the CVPDO has an ethical duty to keep client communications confidential.

Generally, neither the prosecution nor the defense may communicate privately with a judge about a case. If there is an issue you would like to bring up with the judge, talk to your attorney about the best way to address it.

The criminal legal system can be a lengthy and complex process, which involves many protections for the accused. Below is a list of some of the constitutional rights you have from the inception of a criminal case:

• You have a right against unreasonable searches and seizures by the government

• You have the right to deny consent to a search

• You have the right against self-incrimination

• You have the right to an attorney

• You have the right to a speedy trial

• You have the right against cruel and unusual punishment

You should neither speak to a prosecutor nor a law enforcement officer unless you have your attorney with you. If your attorney is not present, you should ask for your attorney.

Yes, you can call your family from jail. However, we strongly advise you NOT to talk about your case on the jail phones. The state records and listens to those jail calls, which may be used as evidence against you. If your family asks, “What happened?” you can tell them, “I cannot discuss any details about the arrest or the charge because this call is recorded.”

One way to be released from jail is by posting bond, which is typically a surety bond. Property bonds can be used, too. Another way to be released from jail is through a personal recognizance (“PR”) bond. A PR bond releases you from jail without requiring you to pay money or to attach a lien to your property by assuring the court you will return to court for your next appearance.

Yes, you will still have a public defender after you post bond and are released from jail.

Once you are out of jail, immediately contact your attorney.

The time limit the State must file a charge against you depends on the type of offense and whether you are in custody.

If you are in custody, then the prosecutor must file the charge against you by Complaint, Information, or Indictment.

• Felony offense: within ninety (90) days

• Class A misdemeanor: within thirty (30) days

• Class B misdemeanor: within fifteen (15) days

If you are not in custody, then the prosecutor must file the charge against you within the statute of limitations for the felony offense (the range is five (5) to ten (10) years. Some felonies do not have a statute of limitations, which means the prosecutor can file charges at any time. For misdemeanor cases, the prosecutor has up to two (2) years from the date of the alleged offense to file charges.

If you miss your court date, you need to contact your attorney.

Your attorney’s contact information will be provided to you either by the attorney or by the court. If you lose your attorney’s contact information, you may contact the CVPDO.