Opinion ID: 1693269
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Failure to Grant Thompson's Request for Removal of Ellerhoff and Appointment of New Counsel

Text: Thompson maintains the district court erred in failing to grant his request at the beginning of trial to remove Ellerhoff as his attorney and provide him with a different attorney. Our review of a district court's decision regarding the disqualification of an attorney and his or her removal is for an abuse of discretion. Id. at 627. We find an abuse of discretion only when the party claiming such shows that the court exercised its discretion on grounds or for reasons clearly untenable or to an extent clearly unreasonable. Id. To the extent this issue implicates constitutional protections, we review the issue de novo. Id. We find the district court did not abuse its discretion in refusing to grant Thompson's request for disqualification of Ellerhoff prior to the start of trial. Thompson's request came only moments before trial began, the court made a thorough inquiry into the adequacy of Ellerhoff's preparation, and questioned Ellerhoff as to whether any conflicts existed at that time. No abuse of discretion is apparent. We affirm the district court's denial of Thompson's request for disqualification of Ellerhoff and the appointment of new counsel.