Opinion ID: 1931975
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Indigent's Right to Representation by Counsel

Text: Indigent persons who are charged with a criminal offense have a right to be represented at trial by an attorney provided at public expense. Gideon v. Wainwright, 372 U.S. 335, 342-45, 83 S.Ct. 792, 795-97, 9 L.Ed.2d 799 (1963). The Office of Public Defender was created to insure that the constitutional right of an indigent defendant to the assistance of counsel in a criminal case is preserved. Bailey v. State, Del.Supr., 438 A.2d 877, 878 (1981) (citation omitted). See 29 Del.C. §§ 4601-4607; Waters v. State, Del.Supr., 440 A.2d 321, 323 (1981). Delaware statutory law authorizes the court, sua sponte, to appoint for cause an attorney other than the Public Defender to represent an indigent defendant. 29 Del.C. § 4605; Bailey v. State, 438 A.2d at 878. The court may also make such appointments upon application of either the Public Defender or the indigent defendant. 29 Del.C. § 4605; Bailey v. State, 438 A.2d at 878. If the issue of indigency is raised in a case involving a felony charge which may result in a prison sentence, this Court has held that the trial court has a duty to make a determination on the record as to the defendant's alleged indigency before the case proceeds to trial. Stacey v. State, Del.Supr., 358 A.2d 379, 380 (1976) (per curiam). The defendant has the burden of establishing a right to counsel at public expense, but he is entitled to a hearing on the issue of indigency. Id. This Court also held that it is error for a trial court to presume that a defendant is not entitled to counsel from a silent record. Id. Our initial review of the record in this case resulted in the conclusion that the trial court had erred as a matter of law when it failed to hold a hearing and to make an independent determination on the record as to whether Potter was indigent at the time of his trial and, thus, entitled to counsel at public expense. Therefore, Potter's case was remanded to the Superior Court.