Court Opinion

ID: 9571783
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-21 20:35:09.603235+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T12:30:56.462002
License: Public Domain

ABBOTT, J.,
concurring: I concur in the l'esult. Respondent stipulated to certain violations and a recommendation of published censure. My concern is that the bench and bar will interpret the opinion as saying a recent law school graduate is not competent to handle a criminal case involving a felony and that a lawyer speaking an accused’s primary language must be engaged as co-counsel. Such is not required. There may be,felony cases that, due to unique facts or the severity of the crime charged, an inexperienced lawyer should not handle, but that would be the exception and not the rule.
It is not required that a recently admitted lawyer, or any other lawyer, associate with a lawyer speaking an accused’s primary language. All that is required is that the lawyer be able to communicate with the client either personally or through an interpreter.