noun
court-appointed attorney
A lawyer assigned by the court to a defendant who cannot afford private counsel. Contrasts with 私選弁護人 (privately retained attorney).
See also: 私選弁護人
被告人には国選弁護人が付いた。
A court-appointed attorney was assigned to the defendant.
A privately retained attorney, chosen and paid for by the defendant, as opposed to a court-appointed one.
Compound of 国選 (national selection) and 弁護人 (defense counsel), referring to an attorney selected by the state for a defendant.