THE JUDGE DID NOT MAKE EVEN A “MINIMAL INQUIRY” WHEN DEFENDANT STATED HE WANTED ANOTHER ATTORNEY; DEFENDANT DID NOT ABANDON THE ISSUE BY NOT RAISING IT AGAIN WHEN HE PLED GUILTY; PLEA VACATED (FIRST DEPT).

The First Department, vacating defendant’s guilty plea, in a full-fledged opinion by Judge Rodriguez, over a dissenting opinion, determined defendant was not afforded an adequate opportunity to explain his request for a new attorney. Defendant attempted to raise the issue at an early court appearance, but the judge made no inquiry. Subsequently, without raising the issue again, defendant pled guilty while represented by the same attorney:

“Where a defendant makes a seemingly serious request for reassignment of counsel, the court must make at least a ‘minimal inquiry’ as to ‘the nature of the disagreement or its potential for resolution’ ” … . Generally, to trigger the “minimal inquiry” requirement, the defendant must provide specific factual allegations … .

However, the “minimal inquiry” requirement presumes a fair opportunity to be heard. The law, in other words, does not permit the court to satisfy its obligations in this area by refusing the defendant an opportunity to record a potentially serious request. Thus, if the court denies the defendant’s “request for substitution of counsel without conducting any inquiry whatsoever, and without permitting defendant to explain, either orally or in writing, why such an inquiry might be necessary,” the defendant’s conviction should be vacated … .

Here, the court summarily denied defendant’s application without giving him a fair opportunity to be heard. Specifically, when defendant first asked to speak, the court ignored him altogether. When defendant made a second attempt, the court refused to permit him to address the issue and instead instructed him to “[t]alk to [his] lawyer.” As the People acknowledge, defendant had to interrupt the proceeding on his third attempt to communicate even his most elemental “need [for] a new attorney.” People v Dinkins, 2026 NY Slip Op 01742, First Dept 3-24-26

Practice Point: Consult this opinion for insight into the inquiry which must be made by a judge when a defendant requests a new attorney.