The primary rule is that a client is entitled to the attorney of their choosing. A corollary is that people should hire their own attorneys. The Courts often encounter requests, from attorneys, for a substitution of the attorney or for a change in the method of paying. They arise this way: the fee that the client and attorney agreed upon has either been expended before the completion of the case or the client cannot pay anything close to what the client promised. An attorney can request the court to either relieve him or her from further representation or ask that the public fund for indigent representation pay at the statutory indigent plan rate.
If judges, following an inquiry of the attorney and client during which the court cautions both not to reveal any confidence or strategy, determines that the client cannot pay anything more, can force the attorney to represent the client anyway according to their arrangement, relieve the attorney and tell client that, if in fact, no other attorney can be afforded, assign one from the approved indigent panel. Because giving an attorney to a client who did not select him or her can lead to appellate difficulties and purposeful delays by the attorney, the wisest course is to permit the attorney to be paid at the indigent rate and make him or her continue with the case until resolution by trial or plea.