Can duty counsel at the courthouse represent someone at a case conference, or just give advice?

It depends on the specific program and the person's eligibility, but duty counsel's role is generally more limited than a fully retained lawyer's — in some circumstances, and for eligible individuals, duty counsel can provide brief representation or assistance at a specific court appearance, including a case conference, but this is typically narrower in scope than ongoing representation throughout a case, and is often focused on providing advice, helping someone understand their options, or assisting with a specific, discrete step rather than carrying a file forward.

Whether duty counsel can actually appear on someone's behalf at a case conference depends on local availability, funding, and eligibility criteria, and isn't guaranteed at every courthouse or for every type of matter. Because this kind of support tends to be limited and appearance-specific rather than an ongoing lawyer-client relationship, anyone relying on duty counsel for an important appearance should confirm well in advance exactly what kind of help will be available that day, and consider whether their situation warrants retaining a lawyer for more consistent representation as the case continues.