I was referring to what a criminal defendant gets from their assigned public defender (typical salary from $50K to $125K in high cost areas like Los Angeles, CA) which is what the state provides to those with McJobs and accused of a felony.
My, admittedly limited, experience with them was that they want you to take a plea deal after a brief review of the state provided discovery evidence and a 10 to 15 minute interview with the accused. I specifically asked if they, or their investigators, had talked to the state's "witnesses" or to the alleged victim - their reply was that they only do that "if it is necessary".
The idea that someone charged, after stating that they are innocent, gets "legal advice" that they should take a deal (plead guilty to a lesser charge) without their assigned "legal council" ever seeing if the state's evidence or witness statements were valid is absurd.
The criminal "trial" (two months later) lasted all of 10 minutes but, rather than hearing not guilty from the judge, I was told that "the state has dismissed the case, young man, you are free to go".
How is spending 4 days in jail and having a felony arrest record (for life?) for absolutely nothing justice? It seems that everyone involved in that dismissed "case" was paid except me. The public defender's office later billed me $900 and offered to discuss "payment terms" after I had been assured, up front, that my part-time, MW job meant that I would not be billed. When challenged, they attributed it to a "clerical error" and I never heard another word about it.
Civil cases against anyone, especially the state or their assigned personnel, involved in a criminal trial are expensive and apt to go nowhere. You would think that someone arrested, charged with a felony, jailed for 4 days before being released on PR and was later told (upon appearing in court) that the state had no credible evidence because their (hearsay?) witness recanted and the alleged victim refused to testify (lie?) would be entitled to some damages.
https://www.glassdoor.com/Job/public-defender-investigation-jobs-SRCH_KO0,29.htm