The Office of Oswego County Assigned Counsel Program provides attorneys at taxpayer expense to financially eligible persons in qualifying criminal and family court cases. The right to counsel guaranteed to every American citizen accused of a crime is embodied in the Sixth Amendment to the United States Constitution and applicable to the states through the Fourteenth Amendment. An integral component of the right to counsel is the right to court-appointed counsel for those unable to hire an attorney. The Assigned Counsel Program ensures that every accused citizen, regardless of financial resources, receives zealous and effective representation as mandated by the United States and New York Constitutions. Public Defenders have an ethical responsibility to work for the best possible resolution of the case for the client. All dealings between a court-appointed attorney and the client are confidential. Attorneys who provide public defense representation are not only subject to the New York State Bar’s ethical requirements that govern all lawyers but must also meet qualification standards that have been established for public defense representation. If you require any further information, kindly contact the Office of Oswego County Assigned Counsel Program.