$500 is two hours of time for a very low hourly rate. You might luck into finding an attorney that is chummy with the right policy/prosecutor to clear something like this up that quick, but I doubt it. $10k has been the standard retainer for a few other legal issues I've dealt with lately, and I doubt most criminal defense attorneys are going to want less if they foresee any chance of the case dragging out.

> they will work out a payment plan for your court appointed lawyer

Have you actually been there and done anything like this? From what I've seen, the reality is much much much different than the marketing.