Civil Commitment Update

In State v. M. J. M, appellant appealed a judgment that committed her to Mental Health Division custody, arguing she had proven to the trial court by a preponderance of the evidence “she was willing and able to and would probably participate in voluntary treatment.” Once a court finds a person is mentally ill by… Read More

What happens if you fire all your lawyers, one by one by one?

When three of defendant’s four appointed attorneys withdrew following threats by defendant, trial court did not err by declining to appoint a fifth attorney. Would it have been better had the court had advise defendant of the risks of self-representation? Maybe. But the Court of Appeals found the trial judge’s warning that defendant’s misconduct toward… Read More