CR-133

Request for Court-Appointed 
Lawyer in Misdemeanor Appeal 

Clerk stamps date here when form is filed.

You fill in the name and street address of the court 
that issued the judgment or order you are  
appealing:
Superior Court of California, County of

You fill in the number and name of the trial court  
case in which you are appealing the judgment or  
order:

Trial Court Case Number:

Trial Court Case Name:

You fill in the appellate division case number (if  
you know it):

Appellate Division Case Number:

This form is only for requesting that the court appoint a lawyer to represent a 
defendant in a misdemeanor appeal.

Before you fill out this form, read Information on Appeal Procedures for  
Misdemeanors (form CR-131-INFO) to know your rights and  
responsibilities. You can get form CR-131-INFO at any courthouse or  
county law library or online at www.courts.ca.gov/forms.

•

The court is required to appoint a lawyer to represent you if you are indigent 
(you cannot afford to pay for a lawyer) and:

(1)

(2)

You were convicted and your punishment includes going to jail or 
paying a fine of more than $500 (including penalty and other 
assessments); or

You are likely to suffer other negative consequences from the 
conviction (for example, immigration problems or inability to get or 
keep a license or permit); or

(3)

You have not been convicted but you are likely to suffer significant 
harm if you lose the appeal.

Fill out this form and make a copy of the completed form for your records.

Take or mail the completed form to the clerk’s office for the same trial court 
where the notice of appeal was filed. It is a good idea to take or mail an extra 
copy to the clerk and ask the clerk to stamp it to show that the original has 
been filed.

•

•

• •

Instructions

1

Your Information

a.

Name of Defendant (the party who is filing this request):            

Name:

Street address: 

Street

Mailing address (if different): 

Phone: 

Street

Email:

Name:

Street address: 

Street

Mailing address (if different): 

Phone: 

Fax:

Street

Email:

City

City

City

City

State

Zip

State

Zip

State

Zip

State

Zip

b.

Defendant’s lawyer (skip this if the defendant is filling out this form):

State Bar number:

Judicial Council of California, www.courts.ca.gov 
Revised September 1, 2020, Optional Form 
Cal. Rules of Court, rule 8.851

Request for Court-Appointed Lawyer in 
Misdemeanor Appeal

CR-133, Page 1 of 2

Trial Court Case Name: 

Information About Your Case

Trial Court Case Number:

2

Were you/was your client represented by the public defender or another court-appointed lawyer in the trial court 
proceedings in this case? (Check a or b.)

No (Complete and attach Defendant's Financial Statement on Eligibility for Appointment of Counsel and 
Reimbursement and Record on Appeal at Public Expense (form MC-210) showing that you/your client 
cannot afford to hire a lawyer. You can get form MC-210 at any courthouse or county law library or online 
at www.courts.ca.gov/forms.)

3

If you have been convicted, describe the punishment the trial court gave you/your client in this case (check all that 
apply and fill in any required information):

A fine (including penalty and other assessments) (fill in the amount of the fine): $

Restitution

(fill in the amount of the restitution): $

Probation
                 (fill in the amount of time on probation):

Other punishment 
                              (describe any other punishment that the trial court gave you/your client in this case):

Yes

Jail time

a.

b.

a.

b.

c.

d.

e.

f.

Describe any other negative consequences that you are/your client is likely to suffer because of this conviction:
                             

4

If you have not been convicted, describe the order being challenged on appeal: 

Notice to Defendant: If you were represented by appointed counsel in the trial court and the trial court 
finds that you are able to pay all or part of the cost of that counsel, at the conclusion of the 
proceedings, the court may also determine after a hearing whether you are able to pay all or a portion 
of the cost of any attorney appointed to represent you in this appeal. If the court determines that you 
are at that time able to pay, the court will order you to pay all or part of such cost. Such orders will 
have the same force and effect as a judgment in a civil action and will be subject to enforcement.

Date:

Type or print name

Signature of defendant or attorney

Revised September 1, 2020

Request for Court-Appointed Lawyer in 
Misdemeanor Appeal

CR-133, Page 2 of 2