Court Opinion

ID: 9577855
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-21 21:38:47.324685+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T13:21:22.235321
License: Public Domain

McALLISTER, J.,
specially concurring.
I agree that there is no constitutional right to an appeal. However, if an appeal is provided, the equal protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment gives an indigent defendant a constitutional right to the same kind of an appeal as a defendant with money. The constitutional right includes inter alia a transcript, Griffin v. Illinois, 351 US 12, 76 S Ct 585, 100 L Ed 891 (1956), and appointed counsel, Douglas v. California, 372 US 353, 83 S Ct 814, 9 L Ed 2d 811 (1963), reh den 373 US 905, 83 S Ct 1288, 10 L Ed 2d 200.
In my opinion, the due process clause of the Fourteenth Amendment does not require the court to inform every defendant of his right to appeal and, if he is indigent, of his right to counsel, and to ascertain whether the defendant wishes to appeal or to waive that right. I agree that the burden should be on the defendant to inform the court that he wishes to appeal and, if he is indigent, wishes to have counsel appointed to represent him. McIntosh v. Commonwealth, 368 *92SW2d 331, 336 (Ky App 1963); State ex rel Dych v. Bomar, 213 Tenn 699, 378 SW2d 772, 774 (1964).
I, therefore, concur in the result of the majority opinion.