NACDL - State v. Jones

State v. Jones

Brief of Eight Ethics, Criminal Defense and Public Interest Institutions and Associations as Amicus Curiae Supporting Contemnor-Appellant’s Appeal of the Municipal Court’s Contempt Conviction.

Brief filed: 05/19/2008

Documents

State-v-Jones.pdf

State v. Jones

Ohio; Case No. 2008-P-0018

Argument(s)

Appellant, a public defender, was appointed to represent a defendant the day before a court hearing. The “hearing” turned out to be the client’s trial, and appellant refused to try the case unprepared, for which the trial judge held in in contempt and sanctioned him with three days in jail, a $250 fine and court costs. Amici argued that one of the most fundamental tenets of the legal profession is the ethical requirement that no lawyer take a case when unable to provide competent and diligent representation.

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