Court Opinion

ID: 9353140
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-01-10 23:04:59.355188+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:07:48.938729
License: Public Domain

01/10/2023

            IN THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF MONTANA                                 Case Number: DA 22-0739

                                           DA 22-0739

                                                                           FILED
CHARLES HENRY PINNER,
                                                                            JAN 1 0 2023
               Petitioner and Appellant,                                 Bowen Greenwood
                                                                       Clerk of Suprerne Court
                                                                          State of Montana

       v.                                                            ORDER

 STATE OF MONTANA,

               Respondent and Appellee.

       Before this Court is a Motion to Withdraw as Counsel, filed by Colin M. Stephens,
requesting his withdrawal as counsel and substituting appointed counsel from the Appellate
Defenders Division. Counsel explains that Charles Henry Pinner privately retained him
for this postconviction proceeding in the Roosevelt County District Court, but that now
Pinner is indigent and cannot afford private counsel after liquidating his retirement account.
Counsel points to §§ 46-21-201 and 47-1-104(4)(v), MCA.
       Pinner appeals a December 6, 2022 Order Denying Petitioner's Petition for Post
Conviction Relief. A petition for postconviction relief is a civil proceeding, and the Rules
of Civil Procedure apply. Section 46-21-201(1)(c), MCA. As a general rule, petitioners
are not entitled to appointment of counsel. Section 46-21-201(2), MCA. Here, Pinner
retained his own counsel in the District Court, and he is now indigent.
       Pinner is not entitled to appointment of counsel on appeal. Counsel for Pinner,
however, may be allowed to withdraw.
Accordingly,
       IT IS ORDERED that the Motion to Withdraw as Counsel is GRANTED.
       IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that the Motion Requesting Substitution of Counsel
is DENIED.
      The Clerk is directed to provide a copy of this Order to counsel of record and to
Charles Henry Pinner along with a copy of this Court's Appellate Handbook.
      DATED this i•ny       of January, 2023.

                                                           Chief Justice

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