California · Government Code

GOV §15421: The State Public Defender is authorized to represent any person who is not financially able to employ counsel in the following matters: (a) An automatic appeal to the Supreme Court under Section 11 of

Civil

What this law says, in plain English

This statute defines the authority and scope of the State Public Defender's office to provide legal representation to indigent persons in specified appellate and criminal proceedings.

Read the full statutory text
The State Public Defender is authorized to represent any person who is not financially able to employ counsel in the following matters: (a) An automatic appeal to the Supreme Court under Section 11 of Article VI of the California Constitution and subdivision (b) of Section 1239 of the Penal Code. (b) A petition for a writ of certiorari to the United States Supreme Court with respect to a judgment on the automatic appeal to the Supreme Court under Section 11 of Article VI of the California Constitution and subdivision (b) of Section 1239 of the Penal Code. (c) An appeal in a noncapital, criminal case as long as the State Public Defender is fulfilling the responsibilities to provide representation imposed pursuant to subdivisions (a) and (b), or the State Public Defender determines that taking a limited number of those cases is necessary for staff training. (d) Any other proceeding in which a person is entitled to representation at public expense where providing this representation is in furtherance of the State Public Defender’s primary responsibilities, as set forth in Section 15420, or to address legal claims that impact the resolution of death penalty cases.

Verify at the official source: California legislative text

Facing this? Know exactly what happens next.

MOFRD turns this code section into your situation: the deadlines that apply to you, the forms your county uses, and the resolution paths people in your position actually take. Free for 3 days — no card required.

This page is legal information, not legal advice. Code text is sourced from official publications and may lag amendments — always confirm at the official source linked above. Plain-English summaries and relationship data are AI-derived and reviewed on an ongoing basis; verify with a licensed attorney before acting.