Opinion ID: 1263060
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Competence of lawyers for criminal work

Text: I do not approve of developing competency standards through the adjudicative process of an appellate opinion. This task should be accomplished by rules and guidelines to be developed in cooperation with the representatives of the nisi prius Bench and the Court of Criminal Appeals. Those courts, which are more directly affected and vitally interested in the competence of the criminal bar, must participate in formulating these standards. I would not treat lawyers' competence as a single concept applicable to all criminal proceedings. Criteria should be developed that will enable lawyers to qualify for misdemeanor defense, though perhaps they might not be so qualified for felony work. Some may be professionally fit for certain felony defense service but not for all  e.g., robbery but not capital homicide offenses. Lastly, there may be those who qualify for the defense in juvenile delinquency or in some other case under the rubric of juvenile process. In other words, competency standards for assignments must neither be too rigid nor prescribed by this court's ukase. They should be formulated in committees and promulgated by rules.