Will anyone check on the information in my application for an appointed lawyer?

Depending on the resources of the court, your application might be checked. To protect the limited funds avail­able for court-appointed lawyers, judges sometimes order audits on the accuracy of defendants’ financial eligibility questionnaires. Because these documents must be filled out under oath, defendants who make materially false claims (that is, claims that are important, not just small mistakes or typos) can be prosecuted for perjury. However, such prosecutions are extremely rare. More likely, the consequence will be that the court will revoke the ­appointment of the lawyer and require the defendant to reimburse the government for legal services already rendered.

by: Paul Bergman