State v. Rinaldi, No. A--53

CourtNew Jersey Superior Court – Appellate Division
Citation156 A.2d 28,58 N.J.Super. 209
Docket NumberNo. A--53
PartiesSTATE of New Jersey, Plaintiff-Respondent, v. Joseph RINALDI, Defendant-Appellant. . Considered
Decision Date23 November 1959

Page 209

58 N.J.Super. 209
156 A.2d 28
STATE of New Jersey, Plaintiff-Respondent,
v.
Joseph RINALDI, Defendant-Appellant.
No. A--53.
Superior Court of New Jersey
Appellate Division.
Considered Nov. 23, 1959.
Decided Nov. 25, 1959.

Page 211

[156 A.2d 29] Before Judges GOLDMANN, CONFORD and FREUND.

GOLDMANN, S.J.A.D.

Defendant was sentenced to State Prison after being convicted of entering, petit larceny, and possession of burglar tools. On August 7, 1959 Martin L. Duyk was assigned by the Essex County Court to represent defendant on appeal. Counsel obtained an order providing defendant with a free transcript and proceeded to investigate the matter by visiting defendant at the State Prison in Trenton and conferring with members of his family as well as the attorney who had represented him at the trial.

Notice of appeal was filed August 31, 1959. Counsel then applied for and obtained an order permitting defendant to appeal as an indigent. Thereafter he petitioned this court for a 30-day extension of time to perfect the appeal, alleging that Mrs. Rinaldi had informed him that defendant was in possession of newly discovered evidence and wanted to see him.

Counsel at once conferred with defendant, who was then at Rahway Prison Farm. Defendant told him he would shortly come into possession of certain documents which would prove that a witness at the trial, one Authony Ligori,

Page 212

committed perjury; further, that counsel would within the week receive the names and addresses of six witnesses who were out of the jurisdiction of the court at the time of the trial and whose testimony was material and would probably change the result if a new trial were granted. On October 23, 1959 we allowed a 30-day extension.

On October 30 defendant petitioned this court for a change of counsel, alleging that Duyk did not have his interests at heart and could not competently represent him. Not a single fact was cited in support. Here, in a different setting, we have another instance of a charge which, during the recent past and with strange frequency, has been leveled against demonstrably able trial counsel in prisoner applications for leave to appeal In forma pauperis. A charge so serious should be reserved for the rare occasion where it can be established as true beyond all question. Reckless resort to the charge has resulted in debasing it to the level of a rubber-stamp, unimpressive ground of appeal or, as here, reason for change of counsel. The result has often been libel visited upon capable attorneys who willingly and at some sacrifice have undertaken the task of representing impecunious defendants.

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13 practice notes
  • State v. Kordower
    • United States
    • New Jersey Superior Court – Appellate Division
    • January 12, 1989
    ...v. McCombs, 171 N.J.Super. 161, 165, 408 A.2d 434 (App.Div.1978), aff'd 81 N.J. 373, 408 A.2d 425 (1979), quoting State v. Rinaldi, 58 N.J.Super. 209, 214, 156 A.2d 28 (App.Div.1959), cert. den. 366 U.S. 914, 81 S.Ct. 1089, 6 L.Ed.2d 238 (1961). As stated in Wheat v. United States, 486 U.S.......
  • State v. Smith, No. A--144
    • United States
    • United States State Supreme Court (New Jersey)
    • July 7, 1964
    ...for review. At the outset we refer to defendant's efforts to dismiss assigned counsel. The phenomenon is not new. See State v. Rinaldi, 58 N.J.Super. 209, 214, 156 A.2d 28 (App.Div.1959), cert. denied 366 U.S. 914, 81 S.Ct. 1089, 6 L.Ed.2d 238 (1961). Too often defendants who petition for c......
  • State v. Manning
    • United States
    • New Jersey Superior Court – Appellate Division
    • June 21, 1989
    ...a defendant is not entitled to State funding for the leading experts in a field, only for competent experts. Cf. State v. Rinaldi, 58 N.J.Super. 209, 214, 156 A.2d 28 (App.Div.1959), cert. den. 366 U.S. 914, 81 S.Ct. 1089, 6 L.Ed.2d 238 (1961), cert. den. 371 U.S. 847, 83 S.Ct. 82, 9 L.Ed.2......
  • State v. Coon
    • United States
    • New Jersey Superior Court – Appellate Division
    • July 29, 1998
    ...measure up to his notions of ability or competency. Assigned counsel is not required to dance to the prisoner's tune. State v. Rinaldi, 58 N.J.Super. 209, 214, 156 A.2d 28 (App.Div.1959). Simply put, a defendant does not have the right to accept or reject assigned counsel, as whim or scheme......
  • Request a trial to view additional results
13 cases
  • State v. Kordower
    • United States
    • New Jersey Superior Court – Appellate Division
    • January 12, 1989
    ...v. McCombs, 171 N.J.Super. 161, 165, 408 A.2d 434 (App.Div.1978), aff'd 81 N.J. 373, 408 A.2d 425 (1979), quoting State v. Rinaldi, 58 N.J.Super. 209, 214, 156 A.2d 28 (App.Div.1959), cert. den. 366 U.S. 914, 81 S.Ct. 1089, 6 L.Ed.2d 238 (1961). As stated in Wheat v. United States, 486 U.S.......
  • State v. Smith, No. A--144
    • United States
    • United States State Supreme Court (New Jersey)
    • July 7, 1964
    ...for review. At the outset we refer to defendant's efforts to dismiss assigned counsel. The phenomenon is not new. See State v. Rinaldi, 58 N.J.Super. 209, 214, 156 A.2d 28 (App.Div.1959), cert. denied 366 U.S. 914, 81 S.Ct. 1089, 6 L.Ed.2d 238 (1961). Too often defendants who petition for c......
  • State v. Manning
    • United States
    • New Jersey Superior Court – Appellate Division
    • June 21, 1989
    ...a defendant is not entitled to State funding for the leading experts in a field, only for competent experts. Cf. State v. Rinaldi, 58 N.J.Super. 209, 214, 156 A.2d 28 (App.Div.1959), cert. den. 366 U.S. 914, 81 S.Ct. 1089, 6 L.Ed.2d 238 (1961), cert. den. 371 U.S. 847, 83 S.Ct. 82, 9 L.Ed.2......
  • State v. Coon
    • United States
    • New Jersey Superior Court – Appellate Division
    • July 29, 1998
    ...measure up to his notions of ability or competency. Assigned counsel is not required to dance to the prisoner's tune. State v. Rinaldi, 58 N.J.Super. 209, 214, 156 A.2d 28 (App.Div.1959). Simply put, a defendant does not have the right to accept or reject assigned counsel, as whim or scheme......
  • Request a trial to view additional results

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