RULE 44. RIGHT TO AND APPOINTMENT OF COUNSEL
Effective Date: 3/1/2001
Obsolete Date: 3/1/2004
(a) Appointment of Counsel. Absent a knowing and intelligent waiver, every indigent defendant is entitled to have counsel appointed at public expense to represent the defendant at every stage of the proceedings from initial appearance before a magistrate through appeal in the courts of this state in all felony cases. Absent a knowing and intelligent waiver, every indigent defendant is entitled to have counsel appointed at public expense to represent the defendant at every stage of the proceedings from initial appearance before a magistrate through appeal in the courts of this state in all non-felony cases unless the magistrate has determined that sentence upon conviction will not include imprisonment. The court shall appoint counsel to represent a defendant at the defendant's expense if the defendant is unable to secure the assistance of counsel and is not indigent.
(b) Ex Parte Application for Financial Assistance. An indigent defendant may apply ex parte for financial assistance to obtain investigative, expert, or other services necessary for an adequate defense. The application, the record of any proceeding, and the order on the application must be kept under seal, except upon order of the court.
Rule 44 was amended, effective September 1, 1983; March 1, 1990; March 1, 2001 in Supreme Court Docket No. 20000212 & 20000276; March 1, 2004; March 1, 2006; June 1, 2006; March 1, 2021.
Rule 44 is a modification of Fed.R.Crim.P. 44 governing the appointment of counsel. In non-felony cases, counsel for an indigent defendant will be provided when the defendant faces a term of imprisonment, including a suspended sentence of imprisonment or a deferred imposition of sentence, unless imprisonment is waived. In contrast, Fed.R.Crim.P. 44 requires appointment of counsel for all indigent defendants.
Rule 44 was amended, effective June 1, 2006, to remove references to appointment of counsel for indigents. Under N.D.C.C. § 54-61-01(1), courts are responsible for determining whether defendants qualify for indigent defense services. Effective January 1, 2006, however, courts ceased appointing counsel for indigents because the North Dakota Commission on Legal Counsel for Indigents became responsible for the defense of indigents.
Rule 44 was amended, effective September 1, 1983, to add the words "in the courts of this state" in each of the first two sentences to make it clear that counsel for indigent defendants will be provided at public expense only in proceedings through appeal in the courts of North Dakota.
Rule 44 was amended, effective March 1, 1990. The amendments are technical in nature and no substantive change is intended.
Rule 44 was amended, effective March 1, 2001, to authorize an application for financial assistance ex parte. Language allowing application to the court for investigative, expert and related services was deleted, effective June 1, 2006. On January 1, 2006, the North Dakota Commission on Legal Counsel for Indigents became responsible for providing these services to indigent defendants. Authorization for state funded mental health services for certain defendants is governed by N.D.C.C. § 12.1-04.1-02.
Rule 44 was amended, effective March 1, 2006, in response to the December 1, 2002, revision of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure. The language and organization of the rule were changed to make the rule more easily understood and to make style and terminology consistent throughout the rules.
Subdivision (b) was added, effective March 1, 2006, to explain the court's duties in situations involving joint representation of multiple defendants. A court inquiry is necessary in these cases because serious conflicts can develop when a single attorney represents defendants who may have different interests.
Subdivision (c) was added, effective March 1, 2021, to provide a procedure for the use of limited and joint representation for pretrial release proceedings.
SOURCES: Joint Procedure Committee Minutes of April 24, 2020, pages 2-3; January 30, 2020, pages 2-7; April 27-28, 2006, pages 2-5, 15-17; January 26, 2006, pages 7-9; January 27-28, 2005, pages 36-37; September 18-19, 2003, pages 27-31; January 27-28, 2000, pages 3-4; September 23-24, 1999, pages 3-6; April 20, 1989, page 4; December 3, 1987, page 15; September 30-October 1, 1982, page 22; October 15-16, 1981, page 15; April 24-26, 1973, page 14; December 11-15, 1972, pages 44-48; May 6-8, 1971, pages 1-11; November 20-21, 1969, pages 3-8; July 10-11, 1969, pages 16-22; Fed.R.Crim.P. 44.
STATUTES AFFECTED:
SUPERSEDED: N.D.C.C. §§ 29-07-01, 29-07-04, 29-13-03, 33-12-09.
CONSIDERED: N.D.C.C. §§ 12-59-15, 12.1-04.1-02, 29-01-06, 29-20-01.
CROSS REFERENCE: N.D.R.Crim.P. 5 (Initial Appearance Before the Magistrate); N.D.R.Crim.P. 8 (Joinder of Offenses or Defendants); N.D.R.Crim.P. 13 (Joint Trial of Separate Cases); N.D.R.Crim.P. 43 (Defendant's Presence).