Court Opinion

ID: 9516543
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-06 23:44:52.96704+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:40:32.073622
License: Public Domain

Boslaugh, J.,
dissenting.
The statute, Neb. Rev. Stat. § 29-1804.07 (Reissue 1979), requires only that when an indigent felony defendant appears before a judge without retained counsel, the judge shall advise him of his right to court-appointed counsel. This may be at the first appearance without counsel or at a later appearance if the defendant was not indigent at the time of his first appearance.
*664The record in this case shows that the defendant’s first appearance in the trial court without retained counsel was at the hearing on February 11, 1982, following the arraignment. Retained counsel’s motion to withdraw, made at the hearing on February 9, 1982, was sustained after the arraignment had been completed.
During the arraignment the following took place: “THE COURT: . . .You have a right to have assistance of counsel at all critical stages of the proceeding. You have a right, if you wish, to represent yourself, act as your own counsel, whether you’re an attorney or not. However, if you wish to have an attorney represent you and you cannot afford an attorney and there is an affidavit in support that you’re indigent and unable to afford an attorney, then the Court can appoint the Public Defender’s Office to represent you. Do you understand your rights to represent yourself and your right to have counsel?
“MR. SONDAG: Yes, sir, but I’d just like to say I plan on hiring another attorney. I don’t want a public defender and I don’t feel I know enough about the law to defend myself.
“THE COURT: That’s fine, you have that right, but I want you to understand again that the trial date will not be continued.
“MR. SONDAG: I understand that.”
After the arraignment had been completed and retained counsel’s motion to withdraw had been sustained, the following took place: “THE COURT: You understand at the present time you are your counsel of record right now?
“MR. SONDAG: Yes, sir.
“THE COURT: And that will remain that way until such time as another attorney appears before you, and again I want to caution you, and I know I’ve done it twice and this is the third time, the trial date of March 1st will not be continued for the purpose of procuring other counsel or giving counsel an opportunity to examine the evidence in the case and *665prepare for trial. So you must contact other counsel soon. All right, your bond will be continued in full force and effect then. That’s all.
“MR. SONDAG: Okay, thank you.”
The trial court had advised the defendant of his right to court-appointed counsel if the defendant was indigent and the defendant had stated, “I don’t want a public defender.” It seems to me this was an effective waiver of the right to appointed counsel.
The decision in this case permits the defendant to disrupt the orderly procedure of the court and places the trial court in an impossible situation. The defendant is permitted to refuse appointed counsel before trial, and then secure a delay by requesting appointed counsel on the day of the trial.
A defendant should not be permitted to manipulate his right to counsel so as to obstruct orderly procedure in the administration of justice. State v. Coleman, 190 Neb. 441, 208 N.W.2d 690 (1973); State v. Kirby, 187 Neb. 380, 191 N.W.2d 162 (1971); State v. Bratton, 187 Neb. 460, 191 N.W.2d 612 (1971).
When a defendant has been advised of his right to appointed counsel and has made an effective waiver of that right, there should be some responsibility upon the defendant to advise the court before the trial is about to commence if there has been a change in circumstances and the defendant now wants appointed counsel.
Hastings and Caporale, JJ., join in this dissent.