The word "indigent" means being very poor or lacking the basic necessities of life, such as food, clothing, and shelter. It describes someone who is in extreme financial need and struggles to meet their basic needs. Full definition
In 2014, the state settled a lawsuit by agreeing to pay the full cost of indigent defense in just five counties, including Onondaga County. (syracuse.com)
Yesterday was the 46th anniversary of Gideon v. Wainwright, the Supreme Court's 1963 decision holding that states have a constitutional obligation to provide court - appointed lawyers for indigent criminal defendants. (legalblogwatch.typepad.com)
«The legislation is in response to new guidelines released by the state's Office of Indigent Legal Defense that drastically increase the number of criminal defendants who would qualify for a free public defender by doubling the income cutoff from 125 percent of the federal poverty threshold to 250 percent. (blog.psjd.org)