In To Kill A Mockingbird, in which chapter does Atticus accept the case of Tom Robinson from Judge Taylor?

The trial
of Tom Robinson hangs like an enormous weight over the Finch household in the chapters leading
up to the actual court proceedings. , it is made clear in , is representing Tom, who has been
unjustly accused of raping a white woman by the town's most virulently racist example of
"white trash," Bob Ewell.is troubled by accusations she has heard from others about
her father's role in defending Tom, Atticus being an attorney and respected citizen of Maycomb.
How and why Atticus came to be in this position, however, is only incrementally revealed. It is
in Chapter 9, that Scout challenges her father for the reason he has taken such a
highly-divisive case:

If you shouldnt be defendin€˜ him,
then why are you doin it?

For a number of reasons, said Atticus. The main
one is, if I didnt I couldnt hold up my head in town, I couldnt represent this county in the
legislature, I couldnt even tell you ornot to do something again.

This sentiment -- and it is repeated inwhen Atticus states, "This case,
Tom Robinsons case, is something that goes to the essence of a mans conscienceScout, I couldnt
go to church and worship God if I didnt try to help that man" -- reveals the
depth of Atticus' conscience and commitment to do what he believes is the right thing
irrespective of its popularity and the ridicule to which it will inevitably expose his family.
It is later in the series of exchanges Atticus has with his family, including Atticus' brother
Jack, in Chapter 9, that Atticus refers to his appointment to this case by Judge John
Taylor:

Before Im through, I intend to jar the jury a
bitI think well have a reasonable chance on appeal, though. I really cant tell at this stage,
Jack. You know, Id hoped to get through life without a case of this kind, but John Taylor
pointed at me and said, €˜Youre It.

It is in Chapter 9,
therefore, that Atticus reveals that he has taken this unpopular case because he was appointed
to it by the presiding judge. Atticus could have, conceivably, turned down the judge's request
that he defend Tom Robinson, crippled, desperately poor African American. It is emphasized,
however, that he accepted the case because of a moral imperative to display for his children and
to others his commitment to do what he believes is right.