Know Your Right to Counsel


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Law Office of Forrest Good PLLC

923 S. Alamo St., Suite 2 · San Antonio, TX 78205 · (210) 236-1441 · info@forrestgoodpllc.com
Bexar County Client Worksheet

Know Your Right to Counsel

A short reference on the right to a lawyer in Texas, with space to record requests for appointed counsel and the dates that matter.

The right to a lawyer

The Sixth Amendment guarantees the assistance of counsel in a criminal case,[1] and the Supreme Court held in Gideon v. Wainwright that this right applies in state courts.[2] Texas law confirms the right to be represented by counsel.[3]

After an arrest, a magistrate must give warnings, including the right to counsel and the right to request appointed counsel.[4] A person who cannot afford a lawyer may ask the court to appoint one, and the court decides eligibility.[5]

Record your requests

If a request for appointed counsel is made, write down when and to whom, and keep any paperwork. The Texas Indigent Defense Commission explains these rights in plain language.[6]

Questions to ask

Write the questions to be answered about counsel and the next steps.

Verify and confirm

Any Texas attorney’s license and standing can be confirmed through the State Bar of Texas.[7]

Sources

  1. U.S. Const. amend. VI (right to the assistance of counsel) [source]
  2. Gideon v. Wainwright, 372 U.S. 335 (1963) [source]
  3. Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 1.051 (right to representation by counsel) [source]
  4. Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 15.17 (magistrate's warnings after arrest) [source]
  5. Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 26.04 (appointment of counsel; procedures for determining indigence) [source]
  6. Texas Indigent Defense Commission, Know Your Rights [source]
  7. State Bar of Texas, Find a Lawyer (verify an attorney's license and standing) [source]
Legal Notice. This worksheet is a free educational resource from the Law Office of Forrest Good PLLC and is not legal advice. Reading or using it does not create an attorney-client relationship, which is formed only by a signed engagement agreement. Forrest Good PLLC, responsible attorney. Forrest Good is not certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Provided under the Texas Disciplinary Rules of Professional Conduct 7.01 to 7.06.