Court Opinion

ID: 9522230
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-07 02:20:29.217523+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T13:02:25.288195
License: Public Domain

KIRSCH, Judge,
dissenting.
I respectfully dissent.
Mother put counsel and the trial court in an untenable position. On February 27, 2009, the court set this matter for hearing on March 16, 2009. Counsel notified Mother of the hearing, stated that she needed to know whether Mother would attend, and advised Mother that she could not adequately represent her unless she attended or at least communicated with her. Mother did not respond. Because Mother failed to communicate or cooperate with her lawyer, counsel could not prepare for the final hearing or defend against the termination. Counsel did not know until the hearing itself occurred whether Mother would attend. Counsel could not give *166Mother ten days notice of her intent to withdraw because she had no such intent until the hearing itself occurred and Mother failed to appear. I believe that under these circumstances good cause was shown for not filing a letter of withdrawal ten days prior to the trial date and that the trial court was within its discretion in allowing the withdrawal.
Mother makes no showing, and, indeed, no claim of prejudice. She does not claim that she relied upon the notice provisions of the local rule regarding withdrawal or even knew of the rule. Although Mother claims that counsel was ineffective, Mother makes no showing of any objection counsel could or should have raised, of any question counsel could or should have asked, or of any evidence counsel could or should have presented. Had the trial court denied the request to withdraw and continued with the hearing, the attorney would have sat there as a potted plant, and the result would have been exactly the same as it is now-Mother's parental rights would have been terminated.
I would affirm the trial court in all respects.