Opinion ID: 3164665
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The Prior Uncounseled OUI Conviction

Text: [¶11] Atkins argues that the trial court erred by refusing to strike from the criminal complaint the allegation of a prior OUI conviction. In support of his motion to strike the allegation of the prior conviction, Atkins asserted that he did not remember much of the proceeding that led to his prior OUI plea. However, he did remember viewing a video. The pre-arraignment video used throughout the state describes criminal defendants’ fundamental rights. Among the rights described are the right to the assistance of counsel and the right to have counsel appointed if a defendant is facing a possible jail sentence and cannot afford to hire counsel. 6 [¶12] Atkins attempts to collaterally attack his prior conviction on the basis of a deprivation of the right to counsel or lack of a waiver of his right to counsel before entering his plea. See State v. Johnson, 2012 ME 39, ¶ 23, 38 A.3d 1270. Because, however, Atkins was not facing a term of imprisonment in the prior matter and because the sentence in fact did not include incarceration, he did not have a constitutional right to court-appointed counsel. See State v. Cook, 1998 ME 40, ¶ 6, 706 A.2d 603. The use of the uncounselled conviction therefore was not barred based on an alleged deprivation of the right to counsel because Atkins did not have such a right in that proceeding. Further, Atkins may not collaterally attack the prior conviction on any other ground. See Johnson, 2012 ME 39, ¶ 23, 38 A.3d 1270. The court therefore did not err in refusing to strike the allegation of the prior conviction.