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Anthony Capraro, Chief Trial Attorney
The largest core of the Public Defender attorney staff is its trial
division, which represents misdemeanor and felony defendants who
are determined to be financially eligible for representation. Most
criminal cases are referred by the district or superior court, but
defendants who are without counsel and believe themselves to be
financially eligible may self-refer and be interviewed. The Office
of the Public Defender represents eligible defendants in direct
prosecutions of misdemeanors and felonies and in cases alleging
violations of misdemeanor or felony probation. Generally, representation
will not be provided in cases where there is no potential of imprisonment
upon conviction (such as many town or city ordinance prosecutions).
Misdemeanor and felony defendants are entitled to be represented
from arraignment through the conclusion of the criminal case and
the Public Defender endeavors to provide all eligible defendants
requesting counsel with representation. A misdemeanor defendant
will generally be represented by the same attorney throughout the
proceedings, unless there is an appeal to the Rhode Island Supreme
Court in which case an appellate division attorney will take over
representation. In felony cases, early stages such as arraignment
and some screening processes will be handled by attorneys who specialize
in those proceedings.
Trial division attorneys are located throughout the state, with
the largest concentration in the main office at 100 North Main Street,
Providence, RI 02903. Generally, trial division staff serving particular
courthouses throughout the state have offices in those courthouses.
The trial division staff serving Providence County courts is comprised
of three units: the felony unit, the district court unit, and the
superior court violation-of-probation unit.
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