City of Jamestown v. Neumiller

2000 ND 11
CourtNorth Dakota Supreme Court
DecidedJanuary 19, 2000
Docket990225
StatusPublished
Cited by13 cases

This text of 2000 ND 11 (City of Jamestown v. Neumiller) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering North Dakota Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
City of Jamestown v. Neumiller, 2000 ND 11 (N.D. 2000).

Opinion

Filed 1/19/00 by Clerk of Supreme Court

IN THE SUPREME COURT

STATE OF NORTH DAKOTA

2000 ND 6

State of North Dakota, Plaintiff and Appellee

v.

Larry Dvorak, Defendant and Appellant

No. 990135

Appeal from the District Court of Stark County, Southwest Judicial District, the Honorable Zane Anderson, Judge.

AFFIRMED.

Opinion of the Court by VandeWalle, Chief Justice.

Owen K. Mehrer, Assistant State’s Attorney, P.O. Box 130, Dickinson, ND 58602-0130, for plaintiff and appellee.

David F. Senn, P.O. Box 1134, Dickinson, ND 58602-1134, for defendant and appellant.

Robert P. Bennett, Assistant Attorney General, Attorney General’s Office, 600 East Boulevard Avenue, Bismarck, ND 58505-0040, for amicus curiae Attorney General’s Office.  Submitted on brief.

State v. Dvorak

VandeWalle, Chief Justice.

[¶1] Larry Dvorak appealed a criminal conviction for violating a domestic violence protection order.  Dvorak argues he did not knowingly and intelligently waive his right to counsel.  We conclude this record demonstrates Dvorak voluntarily, knowingly, and intelligently waived his right to counsel.  We affirm.

I

[¶2] In April 1998, Dvorak was charged under N.D.C.C. § 14-07.1-06 with violating a domestic violence protection order by contacting his children and his ex-

wife’s parents in contravention of a protection order issued in May 1997.  The complaint alleged the offense was Dvorak’s second violation of the protection order and therefore was a class C felony.

[¶3] On June 2, 1998, Dvorak appeared at his initial appearance with attorney Robert Keogh.  The court advised Dvorak of his rights under N.D.R.Crim.P. 5, including an indigent’s right to court-appointed counsel.  Keogh informed the court he would not be representing Dvorak in the criminal proceeding, and Dvorak said his attorney would be Tom Slorby.  Dvorak subsequently applied for court-appointed counsel, and the court appointed William Heth to represent Dvorak.

[¶4] Heth represented Dvorak at a preliminary hearing and arraignment in June 1998.  Thereafter, a jury trial was scheduled for September 8, 1998.  In August 1998, Dvorak, through Heth, moved for a continuance, alleging Dvorak “was in the midst of harvesting season” and “needed additional time to contact his witnesses.”  The court denied Dvorak’s motion.  At a pretrial conference on September 1, 1998, Dvorak appeared with Heth and with attorney T. L. Secrest.  Heth advised the court that Dvorak wanted to retain Secrest as counsel.  The court allowed Secrest to substitute as counsel for Dvorak and granted a continuance.  A jury trial was rescheduled for December 21, 1998.

[¶5] Dvorak failed to appear for the rescheduled trial, and the court issued a bench warrant for his arrest.  Dvorak was arrested on January 7, 1999, and the trial was rescheduled for February 5, 1999.  Meanwhile, on December 21, 1998, Secrest moved to withdraw as Dvorak’s attorney, claiming Dvorak failed to pay attorney fees and failed to communicate and provide evidence to enable Secrest to effectively represent Dvorak.  The State did not resist Secrest’s motion, and the court allowed Secrest to withdraw as counsel on January 8, 1999.

[¶6] At a January 28, 1999 status conference, the court noted Dvorak was representing himself, and the following colloquy occurred:

THE COURT: Okay.  Well, I want it to be clear that you [Dvorak] were aware of [the February 5, 1999 trial date] and make sure that everyone is ready to proceed.  Is that the case Mr. Dvorak?

MR. DVORAK: Well, I’ve been trying to find an attorney.  I’ve been making phone calls like crazy all week here trying to get something going.  It’s pretty difficult to find an attorney out of town that would come down here.  I think I might have one.  I’ve got to call him back today.

THE COURT: All right.  Well, you know we’re summoning all of the jurors in and of course, we don’t want to do that knowing that you’re not prepared or something.

MR. DVORAK: Well, I think if I do get an attorney he’s going to want an extension on it too, you know, catch up on everything.  I got to know today cause — it’s such ridiculous charges I can’t see where it could even go to court.

THE COURT: Well, if you’re going to make a motion I think in fairness to Mr. Mehrer and to the Court and to everyone involved that we need to know this immediately, as soon as possible.

MR. DVORAK: Yeah.  Well, I’m going to have to ask for an extension because I mean I can’t go into court without an attorney.  There’s no way.  I’ve talked to about five different attorneys and either the distance and a few other things that has come up and they just kind of put aside or whatever you want to call it.

THE COURT: Well, before I ask I’m going to ask Mr. Mehrer to respond on behalf of the State.  I guess the Court’s concern is even if the Court sees fit to grant you a continuance or extension because you’re having difficulty in getting in an attorney is that going to make a difference or are we going to have the same problem whether it’s two weeks from now or a month from now.

The court thereafter granted Dvorak another continuance and scheduled a March 8, 1999 pretrial conference and a March 15, 1999 trial.  The court informed Dvorak:

Of course, if you fail to appear you know you have a bond posted and you have to appear or you forfeit your bond.  If you get an attorney, of course, immediately have him file a notice of appearance so we know who the attorney is and I want — we’ve had this matter pending for quite sometime so you have to know now that it’s not going to be continued again.  I think we’ve gone probably a few steps too far already.  We’re stuck with that date and don’t expect to come in at the last minute and ask for another extension or continuance.

[¶7] At the March 8 pretrial conference, Dvorak appeared without counsel and informed the court he would waive his right to a jury trial.  The court asked Dvorak whether he was voluntarily waiving his right to a jury trial, and Dvorak responded, in part, “I guess.  I don’t have no attorney so.”  Dvorak represented himself during the March 15, 1999 bench trial, and the court found him guilty of violating the domestic violence protection order.

II

[¶8] On appeal, now represented by court-appointed counsel, Dvorak argues he did not knowingly and intelligently waive his right to counsel in the trial court.

[¶9] A criminal defendant’s fundamental right to counsel is guaranteed by the Sixth Amendment of the United States Constitution and by N.D. Const. art. I, § 12.   City of Fargo v. Rockwell , 1999 ND 125, ¶ 7, 597 N.W.2d 406; State v. Wicks , 1998 ND 76, ¶ 16, 576 N.W.2d 518; State v. Poitra , 1998 ND 88, ¶ 7, 578 N.W.2d 121.  The denial of a defendant’s right to counsel at trial is not subject to harmless error analysis and requires reversal of the defendant’s conviction.   Rockwell , at ¶ 7; Wicks , at ¶ 17; Poitra , at ¶ 7; State v. Harmon , 1997 ND 233, ¶ 16, 575 N.W.2d 635.

[¶10] In Faretta v.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

State v. Lail
2020 ND 13 (North Dakota Supreme Court, 2020)
Purdy v. Purdy
2019 ND 75 (North Dakota Supreme Court, 2019)
State v. Keller
2005 ND 86 (North Dakota Supreme Court, 2005)
State v. Morales
2004 ND 10 (North Dakota Supreme Court, 2004)
Binek v. Binek
2004 ND 5 (North Dakota Supreme Court, 2004)
State v. Stewart
2002 ND 102 (North Dakota Supreme Court, 2002)
City of Grand Forks v. Thong
2002 ND 48 (North Dakota Supreme Court, 2002)
State v. Martin
2001 ND 189 (North Dakota Supreme Court, 2001)
State v. Steen
2000 ND 152 (North Dakota Supreme Court, 2000)
State v. Fraser
2000 ND 53 (North Dakota Supreme Court, 2000)
State v. Dvorak
2000 ND 6 (North Dakota Supreme Court, 2000)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
2000 ND 11, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/city-of-jamestown-v-neumiller-nd-2000.