Standby counsel or advisory counsel refers to a lawyer who assists a client who has invoked their right to
self-representation. If the client becomes disruptive or otherwise unable to conduct his own defense, the judge may order the standby counsel to take over the defense. Standby counsel also remains available during the trial for consultation. Standby counsel was ruled to be not a violation of the defendant right to self-representation in ''
McKaskle v. Wiggins
''McKaskle v. Wiggins'', 465 U.S. 168 (1984), is a United States Supreme Court case in which the court considered the role of standby counsel in a criminal trial where the defendant conducted his own defense (''pro se''). In this case the defen ...
'', 465 U.S. 168 (1984).
Jack Kevorkian
Murad Jacob "Jack" Kevorkian (May 26, 1928 – June 3, 2011) was an American pathologist and euthanasia proponent. He publicly championed a terminal patient's right to die by physician-assisted suicide, embodied in his quote, "Dying is not ...
had standby counsel in his fifth trial.
References
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Legal procedure