Before 1932, under the national system, you had the right to be represented by a lawyer, which means that, in fact, the state cannot prevent you from hiring a lawyer. This right does not include the official request for a lawyer from the government, if you can't afford one yourself. The first public defender's office began in the early 20th century, and the local government may be trying to improve the efficiency of the judicial system.
A little background knowledge is necessary. The adoption of amendment 14 opened the door for the rights contained in the US Constitution to be applied to all states. Before the amendment of 14, the right to hire a lawyer and other rights were decided by the States themselves. Over time, the Supreme Court's ruling made certain rights in the American Constitution universally applicable to all states. The Sixth Amendment had to bide its time.
1932, Powell v Alabama was decided. Nine black youths "scottsboro boys" were accused of raping two white women. In the trial, scottsboro boys was represented by a real estate agent from Tennessee and an old lawyer who had not practiced law for many years. Neither side had time to prepare and there was no extension.
Eight out of nine scottsboro boys were found guilty and sentenced to death. The case was appealed and attracted the attention of the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court ruled by 7 votes in favor and 2 votes against that scottsboro boys was deprived of due process because they had no right to hire a lawyer according to the Sixth Amendment. This ruling extended the rights granted by the Sixth Amendment to state criminal proceedings for the first time. After 3 1 year, this right only exists in death penalty cases.
In Bates v Brady (1942), the idea of hiring a public defender was dealt a blow. Bates, accused of theft, asked to appoint a lawyer to defend him. His request was rejected because the appointment of a lawyer only applies to death penalty cases in Maryland. He was found guilty and his case was appealed to the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court ruled by 6 votes to 3 that the appointment of lawyers is not immutable, and the appointment of lawyers is not a basic right in all criminal cases. Bates was found guilty. Basically, the Supreme Court agrees with most states that the right to appoint a lawyer is only available in capital cases.
It was not until 1963 Gideon v. Huai Neureiter that a landmark case of appointing a public defender appeared. Gideon was accused of theft, and his request to appoint a lawyer was rejected. The Supreme Court unanimously ruled that in all criminal cases, the defendant has the right to hire a lawyer, even if the defendant cannot afford one. The appointment of a lawyer is regarded as a basic right.
The last notable case is Strickland v. Washington in 1984. In short, the Supreme Court expanded the right to appoint lawyers, including their effective assistance.
With the establishment of the law, the appointment of effective consultants has become a national law, and a basic problem has emerged. If the defendant cannot afford to hire a lawyer in all criminal proceedings and asks the state government to appoint a lawyer, how can the state government arrange these lawyers?
Surprisingly, state lawyers don't need to hire public defenders paid by the government like prosecutors. Different jurisdictions deal with this problem in different ways. Some states are employees of official public defenders, some states are appointed by private lawyers, and some states pay lawyers' contracts to handle criminal appointments at one time. Similarly, county governments still employ lawyers as public defenders, and in many States, this method is used in part or in whole. Countries use any method they choose. You have the right to effective help from a lawyer. If you can't afford a lawyer, you have no right to a public defender. The two are different.