In this case, our client was charged with aggravated assault, strangulation, and other serious offenses. Prior to trial, he was represented by court appointed counsel. That lawyer was granted permission by the Court to withdraw from the case when our client obtained menial employment allowing him to barely pay for his cost of living expenses. The court insisted that our client could afford private counsel, despite our client’s repeated pleas with the court to recognize that he could not do so. The Court forced our client to go to trial without a lawyer. At the trial, our client stood mute because he had no knowledge of the legal process, and was then convicted of all charges and sentenced to a lengthy term of incarceration. On appeal, Mr. Mosser argued that our client was denied his fundamental constitutional rights to counsel. In a published opinion, the Superior Court agreed and reversed our client’s convictions and remanded the case for a new trial and ordered the trial court to protect our client’s right to counsel.
