Am I eligible for a court appointed attorney? Do I want one?

In state court in Texas, if you are in jail and unable to make bail, you will often qualify for a court appointed lawyer. As explained above, however, the court appointed lawyer will most often be taken away if you are able to post the bond. In federal court, many people qualify for court appointed lawyers because the legal fees charged for federal court representation are normally significantly higher than state court representation. In order to qualify for court appointed counsel in federal court, you will have to submit a financial affidavit and have it reviewed by a magistrate judge. The magistrate judge will determine if you qualify for appointed counsel and may require you to pay some sum in order to defray the costs of the lawyer.