Final answer:
A public defender is an attorney who is not always employed by a private firm. Public defenders are lawyers who are paid by the government to represent individuals who cannot afford to hire their own attorney.
Step-by-step explanation:
A public defender is an attorney who is not always employed by a private firm. In fact, public defenders are lawyers who are paid by the government to represent individuals who cannot afford to hire their own attorney. Public defenders are typically employed by a government agency, such as a county or state, and they provide defense services to indigent defendants.
The right to a defense attorney for individuals who cannot afford one is guaranteed by the Sixth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. This right was established in the landmark case of Gideon v. Wainwright in 1963. The Supreme Court ruled that anyone accused of a serious crime is entitled to the assistance of a lawyer, even if they cannot afford one.