Texas Death Penalty Proceedings: Appointment of and Authority to Pay Court-Appointed Counsel are proceedings in which a court or court-appointed attorney is authorized to represent a defendant in a death penalty case. There are two types of proceedings: Appointment of and Authority to Pay Court-Appointed Counsel. The Appointment of Court-Appointed Counsel is the process in which a court or court-appointed attorney is appointed to represent a defendant in a death penalty case. The court will consider the financial resources of the defendant and the seriousness of the charges to determine whether the defendant is eligible for court-appointed counsel. The court will also consider the qualifications and experience of the proposed court-appointed attorney to ensure they can provide competent representation. The Authority to Pay Court-Appointed Counsel is the process in which the court or court-appointed counsel is authorized to receive payment for their services in representing the defendant in a death penalty case. The court will consider the financial resources of the defendant and the seriousness of the charges to determine the amount of payment for the court-appointed counsel. The court will also consider the qualifications and experience of the proposed court-appointed attorney to ensure they are adequately compensated for their representation.