Opinion

People v. Marsden

  • 2 Cal. 3d 118
  • 84 Cal. Rptr. 156
  • 465 P.2d 44
  • 1970 Cal. LEXIS 260
Court
California Supreme Court
Filed
Feb 26, 1970
Status
Published
Author
McCOMB
On the bench
Mosk, McComb
Cited by
2,175 cases

holding that defendants represented by 25 appointed counsel may discharge their attorneys and substitute new counsel if their right 26 to counsel would be substantially impaired by continuing with the original attorney

How later courts described this case

  • holding that defendants represented by 25 appointed counsel may discharge their attorneys and substitute new counsel if their right 26 to counsel would be substantially impaired by continuing with the original attorney
  • recognizing that a California criminal defendant may move to have his court-appointed attorney substituted for different counsel if the appointed attorney is rendering inadequate assistance
  • holding that court may not deny defendant's motion for substitution of counsel without giving defendant a chance to state to the court the precise reasons for his motion
  • holding that a trial judge must permit a criminal defendant requesting substitute counsel an opportunity to present argument and evidence in support of such request

Written by the judges who cited it.

Distinguished

  • Distinguished by People v. Lucky, 45 Cal. 3d 259 (1988)

    The People contend that both Marsden and Lewis are easily distinguishable from the facts of the instant case.
    California Supreme CourtMay 16, 1988Read it

The opinion

McCOMB, J.

I dissent.

I would affirm the judgment for the reasons expressed by Mr. Justice Caldecott in the opinion prepared by him for the Court of Appeal, First District, Division Three (People v. Marsden, 1 Crim. 7601, filed October 10, 1969, certified for nonpublication).

This is a copy of a public record, reproduced as it was published. It is not legal advice, and it may not be the version a court would rely on. Check the official source before you cite it.

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