Opinion ID: 3050632
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Denial of Right to Counsel

Text: [1] 8 U.S.C. § 1362 guarantees an alien in immigration proceedings a right to counsel of his choice at his own expense. “[F]or an applicant to appear pro se, there must be a knowing and voluntary waiver of the right to counsel.” Tawadrus v. Ashcroft, 364 F.3d 1099, 1103 (9th Cir. 2004) (citation omitted). To obtain a knowing and voluntary waiver of the statutory right to counsel, the IJ must “(1) inquire specifically as to whether petitioner wishes to continue without a lawyer; and (2) receive a knowing and voluntary affirmative response.” Id. (internal citations omitted). [2] Therefore, we first address whether Mendoza explicitly waived his right to counsel. Clearly, he did not. The IJ did not inquire as to whether Mendoza was willing to proceed pro se. It was clear that he did not want to proceed pro se from the fact that he brought another attorney to the hearing. We next discuss whether, despite the absence of a waiver of the right to counsel, the IJ could nonetheless refuse to grant 16026 MENDOZA-MAZARIEGOS v. MUKASEY a continuance for Mendoza’s new attorney to familiarize himself with the case. In Hernandez-Gil v. Gonzales, 476 F.3d 803 (9th Cir. 2007), we recently addressed whether the statutory right to counsel is violated when an IJ refuses to grant a continuance after the petitioner’s retained counsel does not appear at the merits hearing. We acknowledged that “[a]bsent a showing of clear abuse, we typically do not disturb an IJ’s discretionary decision not to continue a hearing.” Id. at 807 (quoting Biwot v. Gonzales, 403 F.3d 1094, 1099 (9th Cir. 2005)). However, we also noted that “we cannot allow a myopic insistence upon expeditiousness to render the right to counsel an empty formality.” Id. at 807-08 (citations and internal quotation marks omitted). After balancing these competing interests, we concluded that “[w]hen an immigrant has engaged counsel and the IJ is aware of the representation, if counsel fails to appear, the IJ must take reasonable steps to ensure that the immigrant’s statutory right to counsel is honored.” Id. at 808. Thus, the question here is whether the IJ took reasonable steps to ensure that Mendoza’s statutory right to counsel was honored. In Biwot v. Gonzales, we held that analysis of an IJ’s refusal to grant a continuance requires individualized inquiry. We explained that: No bright line guides our consideration of what constitutes reasonable time [to find an attorney]. The inquiry is fact-specific and thus varies from case to case. We pay particular attention to the realistic time necessary to obtain counsel; the time frame of the requests for counsel; the number of continuances; any barriers that frustrated a petitioner’s efforts to obtain counsel, such as being incarcerated or an inability to speak English; and whether the petitioner appears to be delaying in bad faith. MENDOZA-MAZARIEGOS v. MUKASEY 16027 Biwot, 403 F.3d at 1099.9 Mendoza did not speak English, was not seeking to delay the proceedings in bad faith, and was only seeking a short continuance. Despite these factors weighing in Mendoza’s favor, IJ Fong denied the continuance. The IJ’s decision explained that he denied Mendoza the benefit of a short continuance because Mendoza had “been given more than four years to present his case” and that he had “failed to appear to prosecute his claim.” This harsh conclusion is not supported by the record. The IJ’s decision, later adopted and affirmed by the BIA, was instead based on three erroneous conclusions. First, the IJ inaccurately blamed Mendoza for the fact that his case had previously been continued multiple times. Second, based in large part on his ex parte conversation with attorney Paek, the IJ concluded that Mendoza was negligent in pursuing his case and in deciding to hire a new lawyer just before the hearing. And finally, the IJ’s decision to refuse the continuance was undoubtedly driven by the reality that the short continuance attorney Boachie-Yiadom requested would have required a two-year delay. We discuss below why none of these three reasons provided the IJ with justification to deny the continuance and require Mendoza to proceed pro se.
Both the IJ and the BIA inaccurately summarized the events which led to the lengthy delays in the case. In his decision, the IJ found that Mendoza “has been given a number of continuances, most, if not all, for his benefit because he was not ready to proceed.” In fact, as the chart below illustrates, none of the previously granted continuances were requested 9 Biwot dealt with a petitioner attempting to find an attorney for the first time. Here, Mendoza, like the petitioner in Hernandez-Gil, did have an attorney, but his attorney did not show up to the scheduled hearing. Though these situations are different, we believe that a similar factspecific approach is appropriate. 16028 MENDOZA-MAZARIEGOS v. MUKASEY by Mendoza because he was unprepared. Instead, the continuances were a result of, among other things, a mistake by the Arizona IJ, a change in venue to Los Angeles, a conflict on attorney Paek’s calendar, a conflict on the IJ’s calendar, and a priority case that took precedence over Mendoza’s case. Date of Details of Reason for Proceeding Proceeding Continuance Aug. 7, 1998 Mendoza conceded For preparation of removability cancellation of removal application at suggestion of government attorney Aug. 17, 1998 IJ accepted For merits hearing cancellation of removal application Sept. 8, 1998 IJ discovered he had For preparation of given Mendoza the correct form wrong form Dec. 1, 1998 Initial hearing after For Paek to file the case transferred to cancellation of Los Angeles removal application Feb. 11, 1999 IJ accepted For merits hearing cancellation of removal application and scheduled merits hearing for Aug. 9th, 2000 MENDOZA-MAZARIEGOS v. MUKASEY 16029 July 3, 2000 Scheduling hearing. Rescheduling Attorney Paek did required because of not show up because IJ’s conflict with of his family’s Aug. 9th, 2000 date Fourth of July celebration. Merits hearing scheduled for first available date, Oct. 10, 2001 Oct. 10, 2001 Rescheduled merits Priority case took hearing for first precedence, attorney available date, Sept. Paek unable to wait 18, 2003 for that case to end10 Sept. 18, 2003 Merits hearing Continuance denied conducted [3] The above chart illustrates that, contrary to the IJ’s assertion that Mendoza was to blame for the lengthy delays, Mendoza timely complied with the instructions he received from the IJs.11 He appeared at every hearing at the appointed time. He filed his initial application for cancellation of removal while being detained in Arizona, and even gathered 10 The IJ’s decision stated that on October 10, 2001, attorney Paek “requested a continuance not only orally but in writing indicating that they were not prepared to go forward.” At oral argument in front of this court on July 12, 2007, the government acknowledged that this statement was not accurate. The October 10, 2001 transcript reflects that the case was ready to proceed but that attorney Paek requested a continuance because a priority case had to be heard first and he was not able to wait for it to be heard. The IJ’s response to Paek’s request was “[a]ll right. Not a problem, counsel. We’ll reset this matter then pursuant to your request.” The matter was then set for hearing on September 18, 2003, almost two years later. 11 The IJ faulted Mendoza for not completing his criminal record check, despite the fact that, as mentioned above, the IJ made it clear at the previous hearings that attorney Paek, not Mendoza, was responsible for this task. 16030 MENDOZA-MAZARIEGOS v. MUKASEY supplemental information from his family in California during his detention. Mendoza also, as instructed by the court, dutifully notified the court of his changed address. [4] Thus, when Mendoza was deserted by attorney Paek, his retained counsel, and requested a brief continuance so that his newly hired attorney Boachie-Yiadom could prepare to represent him, he was not requesting “another” continuance, as the IJ suggested. Rather, having found himself abandoned by his retained attorney, Mendoza was trying to preserve his right to counsel.
The IJ was clearly upset with Mendoza for his decision to hire a new lawyer just one day before the merits hearing. At the hearing, the IJ criticized Mendoza for “just let[ting] the thing ride for almost two years” and stated that “I can’t understand why you would sit around for almost two years and then at the last minute say, gee, the people I hired to help me didn’t do their job, I better go get a new one.” The IJ also made clear at the hearing that his frustration with Mendoza’s decision was driven in no small part by attorney Paek’s ex parte comments that morning.12 He told Mendoza that “more importantly, sir, as I stated, Mr. Paek came in early this morning saying, Judge, I don’t know whether my client is going to show up because I se[n]t him letters and he hasn’t responded to me.” (emphasis added). 12 The fact that attorney Paek did not appear on the record raises questions about Paek’s credibility. In light of the serious accusations attorney Paek made against the client he was retained to represent, the IJ should have ordered Paek to attend the merits hearing. Having attorney Paek reiterate his accusations during the hearing would have ensured that they were made on the record. More importantly, it would have given Mendoza the opportunity to refute the accusations and request that attorney Paek offer some evidence (such as copies of the letters that he allegedly sent) of his attempts to contact Mendoza. MENDOZA-MAZARIEGOS v. MUKASEY 16031 It is not clear why the IJ would believe, without further inquiry, attorney Paek’s accusations that Mendoza, facing deportation and permanent separation from his family, completely failed to prepare his case by ignoring his lawyer’s attempts to contact him for his merits hearing.13 In his final decision, the IJ did not mention his ex parte, off-the-record conversation with attorney Paek. Instead, IJ Fong relied on his conclusion that Mendoza “ultimately admitted it was his negligence and failure to prepare and could not give an excuse or reason for another continuance.” [5] This conclusion is not supported by the record. The IJ’s statement that Mendoza “could not give an excuse or reason for another continuance” is flatly contradicted by the record. In fact, much of the hearing concerned Mendoza’s explanation about why he had to retain a new attorney.14 Further, the IJ’s statement that Mendoza “ultimately admitted” his negligence relies on a comment made by Mendoza that does not deserve significant weight. The IJ’s conclusion was based on Mendoza’s statement that “I acknowledge before you that a great part of all this has been negligence for not getting in touch with an attorney. I think I don’t deserve an opportunity. Whatever your decision is I will abide by that.” Mendoza made this statement after the IJ had just engaged in an extended monologue lecturing Mendoza for failing to hire a new attorney sooner. It also directly followed the IJ’s interrogation regarding whether Mendoza had “good cause” for a continuance. In this discussion of “good cause,” Mendoza clearly did not understand the questions or the legal con13 The IJ made no adverse credibility finding in his decision. Thus, we must assume that the IJ found Mendoza credible, and accept Mendoza’s sworn testimony as true. See Recinos de Leon v. Gonzales, 400 F.3d 1185, 1191 (9th Cir. 2005) (“[I]n the absence of a clear adverse credibility finding, we take the petitioner’s testimony to be true.”). 14 There is no mention in the IJ’s decision of Mendoza’s claim that attorney Paek deserted him, which seems strange given the central role it played in Mendoza’s request for the continuance. 16032 MENDOZA-MAZARIEGOS v. MUKASEY cept of “good cause.” To the extent that Mendoza understood the concept, he seemed to have confused good cause for the continuance with good cause for granting his cancellation application. Despite the fact that Mendoza was unfamiliar with both the language and the legal system, proceeding pro se with the help of an interpreter, the IJ showed no patience for Mendoza’s attempts to explain why he had good cause, immediately cutting Mendoza off each time he tried to talk: IJ: Now, what are the grounds that you believe are good cause for granting you another two year continuance? Mendoza: I have an old child, Your Honor. IJ: No, sir, that’s not a ground. That’s already in the record. Mendoza: May I finish? IJ: You mean if I wait long enough the child will get even older and then I — Mendoza: May I — may I — IJ: — should grant it again? Mendoza: — finish, Your Honor? IJ: No. No, sir, that’s not a good ground. You can forget that one. After the IJ had lectured Mendoza on his failure to fire his attorney and after Mendoza had that exchange regarding “good cause,” Mendoza eventually gave up and offered that “whatever your decision is I will abide by that.” Mendoza’s pitiful statement, however, does not indicate that he believed he was at fault for the five years of repeated continuances or MENDOZA-MAZARIEGOS v. MUKASEY 16033 that he should forfeit his right to counsel for deciding to hire a new attorney just before the hearing. Rather, his words reflect that he eventually gave in to an authority figure who had berated him for much of the hearing and who had already decided not to grant him a continuance. Even if Mendoza should have fired attorney Paek sooner, this misstep does not justify a forfeiture of his right to counsel. Mendoza hired attorney Paek, a licensed professional with knowledge of the law, to help him navigate the maze that is our immigration system. And, like many similarly situated aliens, even when unsatisfied with the quality of representation, Mendoza was reluctant to leave attorney Paek because of the fear that the departure would negatively affect his chances for relief. [6] Thus, Mendoza’s continued trust in attorney Paek does not constitute negligence or an attempt to delay the case in bad faith. In fact, it would have been reasonable for Mendoza to rely on his counsel’s purported knowledge and experience and to trust that attorney Paek would protect his interests. Instead, Mendoza’s sworn testimony indicates that he did much more than just trust that his attorney would do the job he was hired and paid to do. Mendoza repeatedly called attorney Paek’s office inquiring about his case. Paek’s office told Mendoza that any question “had to be to them” and refused to let him speak to the attorney. When attorney Paek’s office was not responsive, Mendoza was reluctant to give up on him because “it was very difficult having lost all that money they charged me.” Quite reasonably, the prospect of hiring another lawyer was daunting for someone of Mendoza’s modest means. However, when Mendoza became convinced that attorney Paek would not represent him adequately (or at all), he retained a second attorney, attorney Boachie-Yiadom. Considering Mendoza’s lack of English proficiency, his unfamiliarity with the U.S. legal system, and his retention of a licensed professional, there is no doubt that Mendoza was not negligent in pursuing his case. The fact that the IJ would have 16034 MENDOZA-MAZARIEGOS v. MUKASEY dealt with his attorney in a manner different from the way Mendoza dealt with attorney Paek does not justify the IJ’s denial of a short continuance, which effectively denied Mendoza his right to counsel.15
[7] Though the IJ does not specifically cite his crowded docket in the decision, it is clear from the hearing transcript that the two-year delay that would have been required to grant Boachie-Yiadom’s request for a “short continuance” was a significant reason why the request was not granted. This is not an acceptable justification for the denial of the right to counsel. The IJ, BIA, and the government all repeatedly lament that Mendoza’s proceeding had stretched on for almost five years. It should be clear to the government that Mendoza should not be blamed for the fact that two minor scheduling conflicts required that his case be delayed for three years. Neither is it Mendoza’s fault that the short continuance attorney Boachie-Yiadom requested would have required another two-year delay. It is disturbing that an individual petitioner was, in effect, punished for the crowded docket of the immigration courts. Petitioners should not be forced to proceed without counsel because of the scheduling problems of the immigration court. As frustrating as delays might be, an 15 The denial of the continuance is especially difficult for us to uphold because IJ Fong did not sufficiently ascertain the details of Mendoza’s efforts to contact his counsel. The IJ told Mendoza he was not interested in hearing about the notary, despite the fact that the notary was clearly a central figure in Mendoza’s relationship with attorney Paek. The IJ then criticized Mendoza for mentioning the notary, saying it was “easier to blame unnamed people, people no one can ever identify or find them to get their side, let alone substantiate what you claim. It’s easier to make a claim that someone unnamed and unknown and whereabouts unknown is at fault.” This criticism is ironic, given that the IJ did not give Mendoza the chance to identify the notary, and given that the IJ disbelieved Mendoza based on Paek’s statements made off the record, where Mendoza could not effectively challenge them. MENDOZA-MAZARIEGOS v. MUKASEY 16035 immigrant’s right to counsel should not be sacrificed because of the shortcomings of the immigration system itself. [8] Thus, Mendoza’s right to counsel was violated because, when Mendoza’s attorney did not show up, IJ Fong did not take reasonable steps to ensure that Mendoza’s statutory right to counsel was honored. Neither the previous continuances, nor Mendoza’s decision to hire a new lawyer, nor the significant delay a continuance would have required, were sufficient reasons to deny a continuance and require Mendoza to proceed without counsel.