So You Want To Be A Public Defender

Every kid who has ever asked "But is that fair?" will find themselves in this book.

What happens when someone is accused of a crime and can't afford a lawyer? A public defender steps in. So You Want To Be A Public Defender is an engaging, illustrated career guide for kids ages 10 to 14 about the lawyers who defend people's rights in court, and about why the right to a fair trial protects every one of us.

Written by a former attorney with a twenty-five-year legal career, this nonfiction book explains how the criminal justice system really works, in clear language that respects young readers. Kids follow a public defender through a full day in the courthouse, from meeting nervous clients in the hallway to cross-examining witnesses, negotiating with prosecutors, and researching late into the night. They learn what defenders do long before trial, why most cases never reach a jury, and how investigators, social workers, judges and juries all fit together.

The book takes on the question public defenders hear more than any other, "How can you defend those people?", and gives an answer that will change how kids think about fairness, rules and the presumption of innocence. It is honest about the hard parts of the job, including heavy caseloads, tough losses and unpopular clients, and about why so many defenders would not trade the work for anything.

True stories from American history bring the Constitution and the Bill of Rights to life. Readers see how Abraham Lincoln won a murder trial with an almanac and how Clara Shortridge Foltz invented the idea of the public defender. They learn how Clarence Earl Gideon's handwritten petition from a prison cell led to the landmark Supreme Court case Gideon v. Wainwright, and how Ketanji Brown Jackson went from public defender to Supreme Court justice. Kids also discover where the Miranda warning comes from and how a teenager's case gave young people the right to a lawyer in juvenile court.

Plenty of fun balances the serious subject. Kids can solve the Case of the Missing Cupcake, learn what "The defense rests" really means (it isn't nap time), find out how ancient Athenian jurors voted with bronze ballots, and meet the French lawyer who once defended a town full of rats.

The book also covers the education path from high school through law school and the bar exam, the skills and qualities that help defenders succeed, and related careers in law, social work and investigation. It closes with a kid-friendly glossary of legal terms, recommended books and websites, and hands-on activities like holding a family mock trial.

So You Want To Be A Public Defender is a great fit for social studies and civics classrooms, mock trial and debate teams, homeschool curricula, school libraries, and any young reader with a strong sense of justice. It also makes a thoughtful gift for kids interested in law, government or helping others. It is part of the So You Want To Be A... series of career-exploration books for curious kids.