Which of the following is true about appointed counsel for indigent municipal court defendants?

• A. Indigent defendants have a right to a court-appointed attorney.
• B. Indigent defendants have no right to counsel.
• C. Counsel is appointed only on appeal.
• D. Counsel is appointed only if there is a jury trial.

Answer: (B)

The main idea is that the right to a court-appointed lawyer for an indigent defendant isn't automatic in every criminal case; it depends on whether the defendant could be imprisoned. In municipal court, many offenses are petty and carry only fines, with no possibility of jail. When imprisonment isn’t a possible penalty, the constitutional guarantee to appointed counsel doesn’t automatically attach. That’s why, in this context, indigent defendants typically don’t have a guaranteed right to a court-appointed attorney.

If a case could result in imprisonment, then the right to counsel applies, reflecting the broader rule established by cases like Argersinger. The other options imply rights or circumstances (only on appeal, or only with a jury) that don’t define the common rule for typical municipal court prosecutions.