{"schemaVersion":1,"recordType":"legal-article","id":"law:eri:code:criminal-procedure:2015:article:27","workId":"law:eri:code:criminal-procedure:2015","expressionId":"law:eri:code:criminal-procedure:2015:en","title":"Right to Appointed Counsel","number":"27","language":"en","canonicalUrl":"https://eriatlas.com/law/criminal-procedure-code-2015/article/27/","hierarchy":{"book":"BOOK I — THE COURTS, PROSECUTION, DEFENSE AND INVESTIGATION","title":"TITLE III — THE POLICE, PROSECUTION AND DEFENSE","chapter":"Chapter 2. — The Defense"},"paragraphs":[{"id":"p1","number":"1","text":"A Court, at the accused’s first Court appearance (Article 61), shall appoint counsel to represent an accused when the accused cannot afford or is not otherwise able to hire his own counsel and:","canonicalUrl":"https://eriatlas.com/law/criminal-procedure-code-2015/article/27/#p1","sourceTargets":[{"sourceId":"criminal-procedure-code-2015-en","pdfPage":38,"url":"https://eriatlas.com/sources/criminal-procedure-code-2015/page/38/?article=27&paragraph=p1#article-27-p1"}]},{"id":"p1a","number":"a","text":"the accused is suspected of, or charged with, a Serious Offence;","canonicalUrl":"https://eriatlas.com/law/criminal-procedure-code-2015/article/27/#p1a","sourceTargets":[{"sourceId":"criminal-procedure-code-2015-en","pdfPage":38,"url":"https://eriatlas.com/sources/criminal-procedure-code-2015/page/38/?article=27&paragraph=p1a#article-27-p1a"}]},{"id":"p1b","number":"b","text":"the accused is under 18 years of age; or","canonicalUrl":"https://eriatlas.com/law/criminal-procedure-code-2015/article/27/#p1b","sourceTargets":[{"sourceId":"criminal-procedure-code-2015-en","pdfPage":38,"url":"https://eriatlas.com/sources/criminal-procedure-code-2015/page/38/?article=27&paragraph=p1b#article-27-p1b"}]},{"id":"p1c","number":"c","text":"the accused is mentally or physically incapable of conducting his own defense without the assistance of counsel.","canonicalUrl":"https://eriatlas.com/law/criminal-procedure-code-2015/article/27/#p1c","sourceTargets":[{"sourceId":"criminal-procedure-code-2015-en","pdfPage":38,"url":"https://eriatlas.com/sources/criminal-procedure-code-2015/page/38/?article=27&paragraph=p1c#article-27-p1c"}]},{"id":"p2","number":"2","text":"A Court may appoint counsel to represent an accused in any case where the accused cannot afford or is not able to hire his own counsel and the Court finds that counsel is necessary to ensure justice is done in the case.","canonicalUrl":"https://eriatlas.com/law/criminal-procedure-code-2015/article/27/#p2","sourceTargets":[{"sourceId":"criminal-procedure-code-2015-en","pdfPage":38,"url":"https://eriatlas.com/sources/criminal-procedure-code-2015/page/38/?article=27&paragraph=p2#article-27-p2"}]},{"id":"p3","number":"3","text":"When it appears to the Court at any time, by motion of the defendant or otherwise, that the conditions described in sub-Article (1) exist, the Court shall appoint counsel.","canonicalUrl":"https://eriatlas.com/law/criminal-procedure-code-2015/article/27/#p3","sourceTargets":[{"sourceId":"criminal-procedure-code-2015-en","pdfPage":38,"url":"https://eriatlas.com/sources/criminal-procedure-code-2015/page/38/?article=27&paragraph=p3#article-27-p3"}]},{"id":"p4","number":"4","text":"Notwithstanding the presence of any of the factors set forth in sub-Article (1), the Court may decline to appoint counsel if the accused so requests and/or the Court considers that no injustice will be done if the accused is not represented by defense counsel.","canonicalUrl":"https://eriatlas.com/law/criminal-procedure-code-2015/article/27/#p4","sourceTargets":[{"sourceId":"criminal-procedure-code-2015-en","pdfPage":38,"url":"https://eriatlas.com/sources/criminal-procedure-code-2015/page/38/?article=27&paragraph=p4#article-27-p4"},{"sourceId":"criminal-procedure-code-2015-en","pdfPage":39,"url":"https://eriatlas.com/sources/criminal-procedure-code-2015/page/39/?article=27&paragraph=p4#article-27-p4"}]}],"caution":"English-language 2015 Ministry of Justice edition. Refworld catalogues the English text as an unofficial translation. Eri Atlas has not independently verified the translation or whether this text reflects later legal changes."}