Opinion ID: 2630721
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 9

Heading: adequacy of the trial court's inquiry

Text: ś 47 An adequate inquiry must include a full airing of the concerns (which may be done in camera) and a meaningful inquiry by the trial court. Restraint of Stenson, 142 Wash.2d at 731, 16 P.3d 1. After careful review, we conclude Judge DuBuque's repeated inquiry was meaningful and full. RP (Jan. 31, 2001) at 537-59; RP (Feb. 12, 2001) at 2-10; RP (Feb. 27, 2001) at 19-33; CP at 2185-87. In one of these proceedings, the judge noted: Mr. Cross himself has never expressed in any fashion whatsoever any dissatisfaction or the desire to have independent legal counsel, and you have given to the Court very cogent and compelling reasons as to why I should not take that step, which is the relationship of the long-term duration, as I indicated, every time you have been in the courtroom . . . there has been high quality representation, extremely high quality advocacy, and a good relationship before. . . . I do not want to jeopardize what I see as a good working relationship when there is no expressed desire or need for the Court to do so. RP (Jan. 31, 2001) at 548. The trial court was fully apprised of the conflict and again specially requested (and received) briefing on whether Cross or his counsel had the power to decide the mitigation strategy. Id. at 549; CP at 1899-1904. The judge made a careful review of the dispute and ruled that the strategic conflict between counsel and Cross was not the sort of conflict that required intervention. Cross has not shown any inadequacy in the inquiry. [8]