Oregon Legal Resource Navigator
Oregon guides for every legal category
Understand the route. Prepare your documents. Follow the publisher’s next steps.
Request a court-appointed lawyer in a criminal case
Oregon Judicial Department / Oregon Public Defense Commission · Shared Oregon or applicable federal route
Prepare the financial application for appointed criminal defense counsel and deliver it to the court handling the charge.
Where and how to proceed: prepare, file and follow up
Start here: Read the court-appointed-attorney instructions and confirm the court and case number on your charging papers.
1. Is this for me?
People facing a criminal charge and possible jail time who cannot afford counsel. The court determines financial eligibility; the interactive application is for criminal cases.
Service area: Oregon or applicable federal route; confirm venue and agency jurisdiction.
2. What should I prepare?
Some documents may be conditional. Ask about alternatives. Checkmarks are temporary and are not saved or sent.
3. Where and how do I submit?
Read the linked publisher instructions to confirm the receiving office, accepted submission method and current forms. This page has not separately verified those details. A county filter does not decide the correct court or filing location.
- Read the court-appointed-attorney instructions and confirm the court and case number on your charging papers.
- Use the criminal court-appointed-lawyer interview in OJD Guide & File, or obtain the court financial-affidavit form.
- Complete the financial questions truthfully and sign where required; the affidavit is made under penalty of perjury.
- Submit the completed application using the court or interview filing instructions and retain confirmation.
- Attend the scheduled court appearance and check whether an individual attorney has actually been assigned.
Timing: Apply promptly before the next appearance when possible. Filing an application does not cancel any court date.
4. What will it cost?
Details to confirm with the provider
Fees and fee-waiver eligibility have not been separately verified for this route. Check the current provider instructions. For a court filing, ask the court about its fee-waiver or deferral forms.
5. What happens after I submit?
Details to confirm with the provider
Keep a copy of what you send and its confirmation or receipt. Ask the receiving office how to track it, when to expect a response and how it will request missing information. These follow-up details have not been separately verified for this route.
6. What if something goes wrong?
Details to confirm with the provider
Read any returned filing, correction request or denial notice promptly. Ask the responsible office for the correction, review or appeal instructions and the deadline that applies to your notice. This guide does not verify a route-specific appeal process.
Language, disability and offline help
Ask the receiving office about language assistance, disability accommodations and an alternative to online submission. Available options have not been separately verified for this route.
Financial eligibility and lawyer availability are separate questions. OPDC listed as a placeholder on paperwork is not your lawyer and cannot advise you.
Sources and review date
Guidance reviewed 2026-10-11. Read the current publisher instructions before acting.
Oregon Judicial Department : Court Appointed Attorney : Forms Center : State of Oregon · publisher html snapshot
Captured evidence SHA-256: 75b72319797f4a6b669e9bc0e5d05ec900fc8e05674b47c925339124c88808b0
Oregon Judicial Department : OJD Guide & File : Online Services : State of Oregon · publisher html snapshot
Captured evidence SHA-256: 04b8710467ea7332c40e49506a181eb3250296432201a9272912ddc3742b9178
Oregon Public Defense Commission : General Information for People Charged with Crimes : General Information and Resources : State of Oregon · publisher html snapshot
Captured evidence SHA-256: 31bcc56cc7f2ab23b9826f2ae58e7f3ea7ce52be491864597c0bec3f4d5e4260
Choose local help
Confirm the correct court, agency and service area. Each directory includes source dates and limitations.