The mission of the Federal Public Defender's Office is to ensure that the right to the effective assistance of counsel guaranteed by the Sixth Amendment to the United States Constitution and the Criminal Justice Act (CJA), 18 U.S.C. §3006A, is enforced within the District of Nebraska on behalf of those who are unable to afford retained counsel and other necessary defense services. Nebraska has had a federal public defender since 1993. The 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals appoints the Nebraska federal public defender for a four-year renewable term.