CALIFORNIA CRIMINAL DEFENSE: THE DEFENSE HAS THE RIGHT TO A PARTISAN DEFENSE EXPERT
THE RIGHT TO A PARTISAN DEFENSE EXPERT
the Ninth Circuit reverses this death case from Arizona for ineffective assistance of counsel (IAC). There's a lot about the failure to investigate. But here's what is of note.
The court appointed an expert, who helped the defense a lot. The Ninth Circuit finds IAC for failure to get a "partisan expert," that is, an expert confidential to the defense, with an obligation to further the interests of the defense, and who would assist in the evaluation, preparation, and presentation of the defense.
There's an excellent discussion here of your right to such an expert, which I hope we can use to get the experts we need, in all our cases, not just death penalty cases.
Jones v. Ryan; 2009 DJ DAR 14456; DJ, 10/6/09; 9th Cir. Fed C/A
