Self Representation

On Behalf of | Sep 20, 2010 | Criminal Defense |

Bad idea.  When a defendant affirmatively asserts his right to self-representation under a California case, a written waiver of the right to counsel is not required under the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals.

The defendant has an absolute right to self-representation.  There is no script of questions that a judge needs to ask to determine that defendants knows all the pitfalls of representing themselves.  
A defendant who represents himself is expected to conduct himself like an attorney to the best of his ability.
A defendant need not be admonished regarding the “dangers and disadvantages of self-representation” unless the defendant is contesting his guilt.  
According to the United States Supreme  Court, a defendant who represents himself cannot argue on appeal that the quality of his own defense amounted to the denial off effective assistance of counsel.
In essence, would you not be a little bit scared that you might bleed to death if you operated on yourself?  Why would you go into court and try to represent yourself?

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