QUESTION
Is it a conflict of interest for a public defender to date a current client's ex-girlfriend?
Asked on Dec 08th, 2014 on Criminal Law - Indiana
More details to this question:
I am in the middle of a court case for violation of probation and I have recently found out that my public defender was dating an ex-girlfriend of mine, while still representing me, that has been known to talk about possible criminal activity that I may have been involved in. I feel he has not been representing me to the best of his ability. I feel that it's because of an opinion he has formed from information gathered from her. Is this a conflict of interest?
1 ANSWER
Criminal and General Civil Litigation Attorney serving Warsaw, IN
Partner at
Rockhill Pinnick LLP
3 Awards
Not automatically, as you have no current relationship with her. You may certainly ask him to recuse himself for this reason, however, and get a new pd appointed for you. Frequently in probation violation cases there is little that can be done, short of proving that you did not actually violate your probation.
Answered on Dec 08th, 2014 at 7:21 PM