Opinion ID: 1259648
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: The Barboza Brothers Matter

Text: In early 1978, Rudolfo and Alberto Barboza were charged with aggravated assault. They were convicted after a jury trial in which they were jointly represented by petitioner's office. As noted above, their convictions were reversed by this court because the contract between petitioner and Madera County contain[ed] inherent and irreconcilable conflicts of interest. ( People v. Barboza, supra, 29 Cal.3d at p. 381.) The Barboza brothers were represented through the preliminary hearing stage by Attorney Iglesia, one of petitioner's employees. The provisions of the public defender contract were never discussed with the defendants, nor were written waivers of the conflict of interest obtained. Attorney Bandy, another employee of petitioner, represented the Barbozas at trial. At the State Bar hearing, he testified that he did not pursue the matter of declaring a conflict because he assumed that Iglesia had already consulted with petitioner and had resolved the question. Although no written waiver of conflict was obtained from the two clients, it was Bandy's opinion that the Barbozas would have signed such a waiver had they been asked to do so. In Barboza this court did not reach the question of whether a conflict of interest actually existed under the circumstances presented. (29 Cal.3d at p. 381.) As in the previous matter, the review department made no finding pertaining specifically to this case.