Court Opinion

ID: 9575628
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-21 21:15:30.765309+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T12:49:23.046792
License: Public Domain

CHAVEZ, Judge (specially concurring). I agree with the rule of law pertaining to vicarious disqualification announced in the majority opinion. I also concur in the majority’s application of that rule to the facts of Defendant’s case. I disagree with the majority’s emphasis, however, on factors arising in relation to government employment as a countervailing force to the appearance of impropriety when it comes to questions of disqualification of a prosecuting agency’s office. This Court gave paramount importance to the appearance of impropriety when deciding Chambers nineteen years ago. I believe that the principles underlying that public policy consideration are no less important today. It is just as important to ensure that a defendant receives a fair trial and that the public maintains its trust and confidence in the fair and impartial administration of justice. In a criminal prosecution where a defendant’s lawyer has had substantial involvement in the ongoing defense and then joins the prosecutor’s office, special care should be taken with appearances. The defendant and society should not be left with the impression that the already enormous power of the state is being unfairly bolstered for use against the individual. Such public perception has the potential for fostering cynicism and disrespect for our system of justice. This is not to say that other policy considerations should be ignored in determining when vicarious disqualification is appropriate. As the majority stresses, the need to attract competent people to government employment and the need of government agencies to perform their functions without undue burdens are certainly important. It is my belief, however, that trial courts should err on the side of preserving citizens’ confidence in our criminal justice system when deciding questions of disqualification due to conflict of interest. See Turbin, 797 P.2d at 734 (concern for appearance of impropriety outweighed trial court’s concern that vicarious disqualification would have impeded movement of attorneys between county offices and ‘paralyzed’ judicial system of county). Although I agree with the majority’s holding and concur in the result, for the foregoing reasons I would place greater emphasis on the appearance of unfairness as an independent factor justifying vicarious disqualification.