I fail to see how giving defendants MORE information than the minimum required by statute could be grounds for anything on appeal.

The problem with just saying what the statute requires is that it creates the false impression that the defendant can get a "free" attorney, and that if he decides to meet with the prosecutor without an attorney, he has forclosed ever getting an attorney, or at least a court appointed attorney. No reasonable court could look with disfavor on a form that includes very useful information for the defendant, that is simply not required by the statute.

Is that the info they need to have, or the info YOU "need" them to have, Terry?

If that's your s.o.p., then I'd love to see y'all's DIC-24 forms -- they must be 5 pages long!

At the annual. There will be a form attached to one of the papers that will be distributed in association with the "docket management" talk in Corpus.

Lisa L. Peterson
Nolan County Attorney

By the way, I have been informed that the State Bar may be seeking a more diverse membership for its Committee on Legal Services to the Poor in Criminal Matters. If you or one of your co-workers is interested in serving on that committee, please contact me.