Opinion ID: 2581010
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 21

Heading: Interference with defendant's right to counsel and to self-representation

Text: Defendant asserts that, after completion of the preliminary hearing, arraignment, and subsequent pretrial proceedings (during the entirety of which he was represented by the Contra Costa County Public Defender, Mr. Charles James), defendant improperly was permitted to waive his right to counsel (and hence improperly to represent himself). During the ensuing nine months of pretrial proceedings from May 1990 until February 1991, James served as advisory counsel. Defendant further asserts that his right to self-representation improperly was interfered with by the limitations that the court placed upon James's role as advisory counsel, and that this ultimately resulted in defendant's determination to abandon self-representation in February 1991 (at which time James was reappointed to represent defendant for the remaining pretrial proceedings and trial). Defendant appears to suggest that the alleged error in allowing him to waive counsel for nine months of the pretrial period per se requires reversal of the ensuing judgment that was rendered after trial. Defendant also asserts that the alleged violation of his right to self-representation (by the limitations placed upon James's role as advisory counsel) requires reversal of the judgment without a showing of prejudice. As explained below, we conclude that no error occurred in either respect, and accordingly reject the arguments for reversal predicated on those grounds.