Opinion ID: 2118215
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: By reason of the result reached infra, we confine ourselves to procedural matters here involved.

Text: In that regard there are two problems which must be resolved, (1) movant's right to appointed counsel in this postconviction relief proceeding; (2) the method employed by trial court in summarily disposing of the instant application. Though to some degree interrelated they will be considered in that order. Code § 663A.5, provides: If the applicant is unable to pay court costs and expenses of representation, including stenographic, printing, and legal services, these costs and expenses shall be made available to the applicant in the preparation of the application, in the trial court, and on review. (Emphasis supplied). And § 663A.6 states in relevant part: Within thirty days after the docketing of the application, or within any further time the court may fix, the state shall respond by answer or by motion which may be supported by affidavits. At any time prior to entry of judgment the court may grant leave to withdraw the application. The court may make appropriate orders for amendment of the application or any pleading or motion, for pleading over, for filing further pleadings or motions, or for extending the time of the filing of any pleading. In considering the application the court shall take account of substance regardless of defects of form. If the application is not accompanied by the record of the proceedings challenged therein, the respondent shall file with its answer the record or portions thereof that are material to the questions raised in the application. It would appear, by this statutory provision, the legislature anticipated some Code chapter 663A applications might prove to be so inartistically drawn or fundamentally deficent as to require amendment or complete substitution by an attorney. Cf. Code § 663A.3. On that point Professor David J. Meador said in 50 A.B.A.J. 928 at 930: State judges must learn to read inartfully drawn petitions liberally in favor of the petitioner, for that is what the federal courts do   . Dealing with an applicant's right to hearing and appointment of an attorney in a postconviction review proceeding under 28 U.S.C. § 2255, the court said in Sanders v. United States, 373 U.S. 1, 21, 83 S.Ct. 1068, 1080, 10 L.Ed.2d 148:    we think it clear that the sentencing court has discretion to ascertain whether the claim is substantial before granting a full evidentiary hearing. In this connection, the sentencing court might find it useful to appoint counsel to represent the applicant. Cf. Coppedge v. United States, 369 U.S. 438, 446, 82 S.Ct. 917, 921-922, 8 L.Ed.2d 21. 28 U.S.C. § 2255 was also involved in Milani v. United States, 319 F.2d 441 (7 Cir.), and the court stated at 443: As part of the relief asked by petitioner in forma pauperis was his request for the appointment of counsel. The District Court denied this request. In view of recent Supreme Court cases such as Gideon v. Wainwright, 372 U.S. 335, 83 S.Ct. 792, 9 L.Ed.2d 799 (March 18, 1963) and Sanders v. United States, 373 U.S. 1, 83 S.Ct. 1068, 10 L. Ed.2d 148 (April 29, 1963) it is our view that the District Court should appoint counsel to represent the petitioner. After counsel has had an opportunity to communicate with petitioner and to examine the appropriate records, the District Court should then grant an appropriate hearing. See 33 F.R.D. 365, 384; cf. 50 Iowa L. Rev. 1246. Furthermore, ABA Standards, Post-Conviction Remedies, Approved Draft, § 4.4(a), says: It is more desirable to avoid processing of applications for post-conviction relief beyond the initial screening of the documents without counsel representing the application. Counsel should be provided for pro se applicants unable to afford adequate representation. When private counsel are appointed to represent such applicants, their services should be compensated adequately from public funds. (Emphasis supplied). In the case at bar movant's application challenges a prior conviction based upon an allegedly involuntary guilty plea and requests appointment of counsel, supported by his affidavit of indigency. Martin v. United States, 199 F.2d 279 (8 Cir.), likewise dealt with an application for relief under 28 U.S.C. § 2255, and the movant alleged, as in the case at bar, his conviction was a nullity, having been foundationed upon a guilty plea absent advice to the effect an attorney would be appointed to represent him if he so desired. On appeal the court, in holding movant was entitled to a hearing on his application for postconviction relief, aptly commented at 199 F.2d 282: While we have grave doubts that the defendant is legally entitled to a hearing on his motion, since the record seems to indicate that he intentionally waived his right to have the advice and assistance of counsel and that his plea was voluntary, we think that the proper course for the District Court to pursue, under all the circumstances, is to grant the defendant a hearing on his motion,    determine the issues, and make findings of fact and conclusions of law. The order denying the defendant's motion to set aside his sentence is vacated, and the case is remanded for further proceedings in conformity with this opinion. To like effect is this statement in Sanders v. United States, 373 U.S. 1, 22, 83 S. Ct. 1068, 1080-1081, 10 L.Ed.2d 148: The need for great care in criminal collateral procedure is well evidenced by the instant case. Petitioner was adjudged guilty of a crime carrying a heavy penalty in a summary proceeding at which he was not represented by counsel. Very possibly, the proceeding was constitutionally adequate. But by its summary nature, and because defendant was unrepresented by counsel, a presumption of adequacy is obviously less compelling than it would be had there been a full criminal trial.    In such a case it is imperative that a fair opportunity for collateral relief be afforded. An applicant for such relief ought not to be held to the niceties of lawyers' pleadings or be cursorily dismissed because his claim seems unlikely to prove meritorious.  (Emphasis supplied). Cf. Townsend v. Sain, 372 U.S. 293, 313-318, 83 S.Ct. 745, 757-759, 9 L.Ed.2d 770. Significant here are the authoritatively supported views expressed in Dillon v. United States, 307 F.2d 445, 447-448 (9 Cir.):    a request for counsel in proceedings under Section 2255 is addressed to the sound discretion of the court. This is true at both the trial and appellate levels. The standard to be applied by the trial court in the exercise of this discretion has not been clearly established. There is case authority indicating that counsel should be appointed in collateral attack proceedings whenever it appears probable that any substantial issue, or at least a substantial issue of fact, will be presented. The same standard has been applied by Courts of Appeals in determining whether to appoint counsel in appeals from this type of proceeding except, of course, that substantial issues at the appellate level are more likely to be issues of law.    For purposes of this case it is enough to agree with the recent suggestion of the Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit (United States ex rel. Wissenfeld v. Wilkins, 281 F.2d 707, 715) that `where a petition for the writ [of habeas corpus] presents a triable issue of fact the clear presentation of which requires an ability to organize factual data or to call witnesses and elicit testimony in a logical fashion it is much the better practice to assign counsel.' There is no reason for applying a different standard in proceedings under Section 2255. Measured by this standard, we are satisfied that a proper exercise of discretion by the District Court required that appellant's request for counsel be granted; we therefore need not inquire whether in the circumstances of this case due process compelled the appointment of counsel. And at 450 is this statement: The question is how badly the prisoner needed help; the seriousness of the problem must be judged from his point of view. `That which is simple, orderly and necessary to the lawyer,' as the Supreme Court has pointed out, (Johnson v. Zerbst, 304 U.S. 458, 463, 58 S.Ct. 1019, 82 L.Ed. 1461) `to the untrained layman may appear intricate, complex and mysterious.' Even judged by a lawyer's standards, the issue presented here was not uncomplicated. An examination of the instant application for postconviction relief discloses movant specifically contends, while he was hospitalized an assistant county attorney appeared, as aforesaid, and advised him to the effect he was charged with breaking and entering, whereupon movant asserted his innocence of theft and was told should he protest the county would then file an additional charge of car theft. April 23, 1958, appellant [movant], nine days after discharge from the hospital in near blindness (See: Exhibit `D'), was `led' into the county attorney's office, where he was again threatened (See: Exhibit `B') and shortly-thereafter, in the court room, acting in a dejected and psychologically depressed and defeated state of mind due to the futility involved, was induced, permitted and allowed to waive his constitutional right to counsel, and enter a plea of guilty, in the complete absence of any preliminary examination, to a charge of which he was not guilty. Appellant [movant] at the time of his arrest was 30 years old. A childhood skull-fracture had resulted in brain damage (See: Iowa State Penitentiary admittance records of which are unavailable to appellant [movant] for an exhibit) and had a mental capacity of a 9 to 17 year old. Appellant [movant] had earlier spent several months in federal and state institutions in which he obtained extensive psychiatric treatment. Appellant's [movant's] vocabulary was extremely limited, as was his understanding of much everyday language. Appellant [movant] was abnormally anxious to please and very susceptible to suggestion. Under existing circumstances an attorney should have been appointed to represent movant. Such would have been beneficial to him, conducive to a just disposition of this case in the trial court, and most certainly helpful on this appeal. That is not to be construed, however, as meaning an attorney must always be appointed to represent an indigent, or hearing accorded on every application for postconviction review. See Johnson v. Avery, 393 U.S. 483, 487-488, 89 S.Ct. 747, 750, 21 L.Ed.2d 718; Cates v. Ciccone, 422 F.2d 926, 928 (8 Cir.); Stanley v. Wainwright, 406 F.2d 8, 10 (5 Cir.); Queor v. Lee, 382 F.2d 1017, 1018 (5 Cir.); State v. Tahash, 152 N.W.2d 301, 305-307 (Minn.); cf. 43 F.R.D. 343. Confining ourselves to the factual situation here presented we now hold trial court erred in failing to appoint an attorney to represent this indigent movant in the processing of his application for postconviction review.