Opinion ID: 474300
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Right to Transcript

Text: 15 The Public Defender contends, as an alternative ground for affirmance, that appellants have no constitutional right to copies of their transcripts. The district court did not reach the issue, nor is it addressed in appellant's brief. In light of our holding that requisite state action is lacking, we need not resolve that issue. 16 However, it is certainly true that in many cases an indigent has a constitutional right to access to his transcript. See Thompson v. Housewright, 741 F.2d 213, 215 (8th Cir.1984). The United States Supreme Court has held that a state may not confide to a public defender the final decision as to whether a transcript shall be available to a criminal defendant who collaterally attacks his conviction. Lane v. Brown, 372 U.S. 477, 485, 83 S.Ct. 768, 773, 9 L.Ed.2d 892 (1963). While we have found the decision to not furnish a transcript falls within the attorney/client relationship and, therefore, does not constitute state action, nevertheless, the court believes the policy of the public defender's office should be reviewed and reconsidered in the light of this court's holding in Thompson. 17 In summary, we do not mean, by our holding today, to sanction the actions of the Public Defender and other state officials in this case. We hold only that the refusal of the public defender's office to furnish free copies of transcripts to indigents does not state a claim under 42 U.S.C. Sec. 1983. 18 In view of the foregoing, the court finds that the order of the district court should be and hereby is affirmed.