Opinion ID: 2046429
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: issues

Text: Defendant's former attorney identified him in the Habitual Offender proceedings. He argues that the relationship between him and his former attorney precluded the attorney from testifying as to his identity, inasmuch as their relationship was protected by the Attorney/Client privilege. Defendant admits that this issue was recently decided by this Court in Washington v. State, (1982) Ind., 441 N.E.2d 1355, in which we approved the giving of such testimony by prior counsel, so long as the testimony does not reveal confidential communications or secrets of the former client. The attorney is permitted to testify as to the existence, nature and date of a defendant's prior conviction, matters which are documented in the public record. Id. at 1358, 1359. Defendant urges us to reconsider our position, but he has not presented any compelling reason for us to do so. Our holding in Washington controls this issue.