Opinion ID: 1766494
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The Constitutional Right to Counsel

Text: The Sixth Amendment [to the United States Constitution] provides, `In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right ... to have the Assistance of Counsel for his defence [sic].' Gideon v. Wainwright, 372 U.S. 335, 339, 83 S.Ct. 792, 9 L.Ed.2d 799 (1963) (omission in original). Because the right to counsel is fundamental and essential to a fair trial, it has been applied to the states through the Fourteenth Amendment. Id. at 342, 83 S.Ct. 792. [4] The right to counsel has been described as one of the most pervasive rights [of a criminal defendant] `as it affects the defendant's ability to assert any other rights he may have.' In re D.J.M., 259 S.W.3d 533, 535 (Mo. banc 2008) (quoting State v. Dixon, 916 S.W.2d 834, 837 (Mo.App.1995)). Indeed, [t]he assistance of counsel is often a requisite to the very existence of a fair trial. Argersinger v. Hamlin, 407 U.S. 25, 31, 92 S.Ct. 2006, 32 L.Ed.2d 530 (1972). As a result, the United States Supreme Court has held that [n]o person may be imprisoned for any offense ... unless he was represented by counsel at his trial. Id. at 37, 92 S.Ct. 2006. [5] Under Argersinger, trial judges have an obligation to ensure that every person's right to counsel is met if he or she faces the prospect of imprisonment. See id. at 42, 92 S.Ct. 2006 (The judge can preserve the option of a jail sentence only by offering counsel to any defendant unable to retain counsel on his own.). In Missouri, Rule 31.02(a) specifies that [i]f any person charged with an offense, the conviction of which would probably result in confinement, shall be without counsel upon his first appearance before a judge, it shall be the duty of the court to advise him of right to counsel. It is then the duty of the court to appoint counsel if a defendant is found to be indigent. Id. Even if counsel is not appointed at the defendant's first appearance, the rule states that the court shall appoint counsel if the court determines, at any stage of the proceedings, [that] the failure to appoint counsel may result in injustice to the defendant. Id. Beyond simply ensuring that counsel is appointed to assist every defendant who faces the possibility of imprisonment, a judge also must ensure that the defendant has effective assistance of counsel. Taylor v. State, 262 S.W.3d 231, 249 (Mo. banc 2008) (The Sixth Amendment affords all citizens facing criminal charges the right to effective assistance of counsel.); State ex rel. Wolfrum v. Wiesman, 225 S.W.3d 409, 412 (Mo. banc 2007) (Any defendant that has exercised his right to counsel is guaranteed effective assistance of counsel, and courts should do the utmost to protect the defendant's right to adequate and competent representation.); see also Strickland v. Washington, 466 U.S. 668, 686, 104 S.Ct. 2052, 80 L.Ed.2d 674 (1984). Effective representation under the Sixth Amendment requires appropriate investigation, preparation and presentation of the client's case by counsel. Taylor, 262 S.W.3d at 249.