What does this legal term mean?

It must be "impromptu".

Arriving when not expected, unprepared.

In some countries, when you have not a lawyer, justice can designate you one to make an impromptu defense.

Hi Francis, if the answer was impromptu the question would be unneccessary wouldn't it?

When I said it must be impromptu I was just correcting the spelling.

I understood you were looking for a definition of "impromptu defense", which I gave, in my words.

But maybe I didn't get the real meaning of your question...

What do you mean by "impromptu defense"?

Not expected, unprepared.

(made on the go?)

I don't know Ticomaya thats all I have

Francis, if my comment to you sounded rude please accept my apology. it certainly wasn't meant that way.

Are you describing a situation where a criminal defendant is about to stand trial, and moments beforehand the judge appoints an attorney sitting in the courtroom to defend him?

But, in the UK, Don1, solicitors prepare the case; barristers present it, no? Seems like any imprompu defense would be precluded.

Well, you said that's all you have. I can't say I know the answer.

Yes, Tico.

It's called "impromptu defense" in some countries I know.

(This can vary a bit from days to hours)

I don't think we do that in the US. At least not where I practice.

Could be a reference to the historical practice in English courts of barristers hanging around the courts for a brief from an unrepresented defendant. There is a rule in English law that a barrister must accept the next brief and not pick and choose, colloquially called the "taxicab rule". The allusion is to the taxicab that must pick up the next fare regardless of destination and not pick and choose.

Nowadays of course solictors take instructions from the defendant and brief barristers and it's a lot more civilised but remnants of the old ways still exist. I don't know if it's still the case but a barrister's gown used to have a pocket in the back where the defendant would drop the money, couldn't have money being exchanged in the precincts of the court, wouldn't look nice.

Don if you have any more info we might be able to sort this one.

Thanks for your replies people, I thought this was going to be an easy to answer question but obviously not. If I find anymore info I'll get back.

Thanks all.

Re: What does this legal term mean?


Legal Term: MALPRACTICE

LOL

Without knowing the context for which you are searching for the legal term, it's difficult to help you. Maybe you're thinking about this term: