State v. Estacio

144 P.3d 1016, 208 Or. App. 107
CourtCourt of Appeals of Oregon
DecidedSeptember 27, 2006
Docket0108-36054; A118666
StatusPublished

This text of 144 P.3d 1016 (State v. Estacio) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Oregon primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State v. Estacio, 144 P.3d 1016, 208 Or. App. 107 (Or. Ct. App. 2006).

Opinion

EDMONDS, P. J.

This case comes to us on remand from the Supreme Court for reconsideration in light of State v. Smith, 339 Or 515, 123 P3d 261 (2005). In our original opinion, State v. Estacio, 199 Or App 16, 110 P3d 624 (2005), we vacated defendant’s convictions and remanded the case to the trial court with instructions to inquire into the reasons for defendant’s appointed counsel’s request to withdraw as defendant’s attorney. On remand, we affirm defendant’s convictions.

We quote the underlying facts as set out in our original opinion, with supplemental facts from the record where relevant:

“The incidents resulting in defendant’s arrest and trial occurred on August 29, 2001. After appointment of counsel and arraignment on October 18, 2001, in late February 2002, defendant’s trial counsel requested a hearing to determine defendant’s ability to aid and assist counsel, and in early March defendant requested an order for substitution of attorney. The trial court ultimately found that defendant was able to aid and assist his counsel and denied his motion for substitution of counsel, finding no basis for his request.
“At the hearing on the motion for substitution of counsel, defendant explained that he believed that ‘[counsel’s] not really looking for my best interest and she’s not helping me as far as any legal work[.]’ In response, the trial court pointed out that, because the evaluation had just been made about whether he was able to aid and assist in his own defense, it ‘would not judge [counsel’s] attention to your case on the fact that up until last week she hadn’t done much. Because, as I said, everything is kind of in limbo until a determination is made if you’re able to aid and assist.’ After hearing from counsel, the trial court made its decision: ‘Mr. Estacio, your attorney has done everything and more than the court would expect at this point. She has been working very hard on your behalf. The motion is denied. No basis.’ Defendant responded:
“ ‘Can I say something? It’s just the fact that, you know, I’ve had her since August. I just feel like she ain’t — you know, I just feel like she got a heavy case [110]*110load. I know she’s doing a lot of work. That’s what I’m trying to say is maybe she’s too busy.’
“After a further exchange between the trial court and defendant, defendant explained, 1 just feel she ain’t looking for my best interest.’ The court responded that ‘there is absolutely no basis and no reason you would lead me to believe that.’ ”

Estacio, 199 Or App at 18-19 (footnotes omitted).

On March 29, 2002, the trial court heard pretrial motions before selecting a jury and beginning trial. Both the prosecutor and defendant’s counsel stated that they were ready for trial. Defense counsel then told the court that defendant wished to address the court before the beginning of argument on the pretrial motions:

“JUDGE: Okay, that’s fine. Mr. Estacio, please stand up, and whatever you want to say. Go ahead.
“DEFENDANT: Your Honor, before I would like to proceed on this trial, I would like to address this court and I would like also just to be on the record. First of all, I do not want to proceed — go along with my attorney * * * and I also do not want to negotiate a plea for a crime that I didn’t commit. Over the past seven months she has been deceiving me to taking a plea bargain, and she has not submitted any motion or legal help to me. Every time I would ask her to do something, I’m being ignored or denied, or I’m not, you know, and I don’t know if she’s prejudiced against my case or if she’s doing it intentionally. It seems that she’s more interested in my personal life rather than trying to help me with my case, or focusing on what’s important. I asked her if she talked to the witnesses or the victim again, or if she interviewed them again. There’s got to be something that they said other than in the police reports, but yet I wasn’t even allowed to get a statement from victims or witnesses. I know I asked for a full disclosure and suppress the evidence, but only got part of it, but not all of it. With all due respect, Your Honor, I could fix a lot of time because I didn’t know what was happening here and there, and I should be able to know at least what I’m dealing with and what I’m going up against, and I really think that [counsel] is not looking out for my best interests. I think her caseload is too [heavy], too much stuff in her hands, but not enough time, and it seems like she’s doing everything at the last minute, [111]*111and I feel like I’m being forced to go to trial today and instead I file complaint to the Bar section, but I’m still waiting for their response. Right now, I’m going to trial today, and so there’s some time limit. I just wish to be appointed to another counsel so that my constitutional rights will be protected. * * * [S]ometimes there was trouble in communicating with her, whether my attorney’s lying to me about everything we discussed, or what she puts in front of me. I know [counsel] had a special title and nobility to practice law. I believe she values her good reputation pretty well, but I also believe as counsel she had adequate time and resources and a good performance then, and, that’s it, Your Honor.
“JUDGE: Alright. Okay, thank you for your statement, Mr. Estacio. I want to consider this whole matter. [Counsel], is there any statement you want to make[?]
“DEFENSE [COUNSEL]: I guess, for the record, this is the first I knew that Mr. Estacio had filed a Bar complaint. He did ask for a substitution of counsel and we had a hearing on that matter.
^ ^
“JUDGE: About how long ago[?] Maybe this is in the file. Well I see. I have it right here. It’s the top order. On March 13th of this year, there was an entry, an order in the file, a defendant’s motion for substitution of attorney is denied by Judge Frantz, and that order is dated March 29th, and so that order was done, let’s see, 16 days ago. Let me — I want to just follow up a little bit with Mr. Estacio. Sir, has anything happened that’s different between March 13 and today[?]
“[DEFENDANT]: Well, that’s the reason why, Your Honor. It’s just because, from the last minute, it just seems like I’ve been given everything from the last minute, all the discovery and I don’t even have the time to really, you know, really look up into what I’m reading, and I just feel like I’m being, like I said, I’m being forced to doing something I don’t really want to do right now.
“JUDGE: Okay, so I have this order, and I realize the situation that exists, as to the position you’re in. Your client has made certain statements, but I do want to give everyone an opportunity to make statements on the record and, is there any other statement]?]
[112]*112“DEFENSE [COUNSEL]: Yes, Your Honor. I wonder if Mr. Estacio’s maintaining a Bar complaint against me puts me in actual conflict with his interests. Having not seen any correspondence from the Bar, nor yet been in a position to respond to it, I don’t know to what extent I would need to divulge client confidences or secrets in order to defend myself in a Bar complaint. I know that that could become an issue, but as yet, I’ve got no notice yet from the Bar. And, Mr.

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Related

Wood v. Georgia
450 U.S. 261 (Supreme Court, 1981)
Shannon v. United States
512 U.S. 573 (Supreme Court, 1994)
Mickens v. Taylor
535 U.S. 162 (Supreme Court, 2002)
State v. Smith
123 P.3d 261 (Oregon Supreme Court, 2005)
State v. Miller
969 P.2d 1006 (Oregon Supreme Court, 1998)
State v. Estacio
110 P.3d 624 (Court of Appeals of Oregon, 2005)
State v. Taylor
142 P.3d 1093 (Court of Appeals of Oregon, 2006)
State v. Daley
103 P. 502 (Oregon Supreme Court, 1909)

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Bluebook (online)
144 P.3d 1016, 208 Or. App. 107, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-estacio-orctapp-2006.