Opinion ID: 1201386
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Use of the Law Library

Text: On November 12, 1987, the trial judge granted Henry's motion to represent himself. Henry then changed his mind and moved to withdraw his waiver of counsel on November 20, 1987. That motion was granted November 23, 1987. Henry was represented by counsel at trial. He complains that during the foregoing 11-day period without counsel, his right to self-representation was unduly infringed because jail officials did not permit him an allotted 3 hours a day in the law library. A criminal defendant has a constitutional right to represent himself. Faretta v. California, 422 U.S. 806, 95 S.Ct. 2525, 45 L.Ed.2d 562 (1975). When a defendant in custody exercises that right, the Fifth Amendment guarantee of access to the courts requires that he or she be provided an adequate law library or assistance from someone trained in the law. Bounds v. Smith, 430 U.S. 817, 828, 97 S.Ct. 1491, 1498, 52 L.Ed.2d 72, 83 (1977). See also Findlay v. Lewis, 172 Ariz. 343, 346, 837 P.2d 145, 148 (1992). Here, no constitutional violation occurred. Library access is only one permissible means of affording the right of meaningful self-representation. Legal help is another. United States v. Wilson, 690 F.2d 1267, 1271 (9th Cir.1982) (due process does not require law library access for defendant who declines assistance of counsel). An inmate does not have the right to select his or her preferred means of access. Id. Due process rights are violated only when a defendant is denied all meaningful opportunity to prepare a defense. Milton v. Morris, 767 F.2d 1443 (9th Cir.1985) (defendant denied communication with outside world). Henry was not denied all meaningful access. At the November 12 hearing on his request to represent himself, he expressly agreed to have his lawyer serve as his legal advisor. The trial judge granted Henry the right to represent himself, designated his previously-appointed lawyer as advisory counsel, authorized additional funds for Henry's investigator, granted him law library access for at least 3 consecutive hours a week, and continued the trial from November 16 to November 23. On November 19, the trial judge increased library access to 3 hours a day. On November 20, in addition to the motion to withdraw his prior waiver of counsel, Henry filed a handwritten Rule 10.1 motion to change the trial judge for cause, and a lengthy motion to continue trial. The record conflicts as to whether Henry was denied library use, or was offered it and declined. Regardless, appointment of both advisory counsel and an investigator who in fact did extensive work afforded him the meaningful access required by the constitution. See Wilson, 690 F.2d at 1271. See also Knight v. Superior Court, 161 Ariz. 551, 779 P.2d 1290 (Ct.App. 1989).