Involuntarily appointed attorneys must receive adequate compensation; DCA releases one lawyer from his case, but affirms judges' ability to make appointments.

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Involuntarily appointed attorneys must receive adequate compensation; DCA releases one lawyer from his case, but affirms judges' ability to make appointments.

Judges have the authority to involuntarily appoint lawyers to represent criminal defendants, but those attorneys must be adequately compensated and the appointment must not jeopardize representation of the attorneys' other clients.

The Second District Court of Appeal made those findings in allowing Bradenton attorney Gregory Hagopian to withdraw from a mandated representation he said could harm his existing clients and bankrupt him because of the state's stingy compensation schedule and payment policies.

The opinion released August 12 temporarily left Terry Green , one of 12 people charged with a gang-related RICO case brought by the statewide prosecutor, without an attorney.

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"[T]he undisputed evidence established that the involuntary appointment to Mr. Green's case would make it impossible for Mr. Hago...

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