Latest news and stories about public defenders in Portugal for expats and residents.
The appointment of public defenders by the Bar Association (OA) in cases of special complexity will now be handled by the General Council rather than the regional councils, as determined by the professional association's national body.
Public defenders are lawyers appointed by the State to legally represent citizens who cannot afford to pay for their own defence.
The Ministry of Justice says it is not aware of João Massano's proposal, but does not object to the Bar Association creating permanent teams of court-appointed lawyers if it considers the current system does not provide an adequate response.
