What is the form number of the form to replace a public defender with another PD?

[abrahamchapman]

Los Angeles, California

I have a friend who is being very poorly represented by a Los Angeles county public defender and needs to replace this public defender with another public defender. Two certified letters to Joan Crocker, the head deputy public defender in Los Angeles County have proven unsuccessful in both replacing my friend's public defender and in receiving a response that said letters have been received. I am not a lawyer, but I know how the system works. Letters are automatically trashed; the only way to do anything is to find out what form needs to be filed in order to do what one wants to do. What is the name and identifying number of the form a person must fill out in order to have a request to replace a public defender with another public defender actually processed by the Los Angeles county public defenders office?

Thanks for your help.

 

[CdwJava]

It is called a Marsden Motion and he will have to make it to the court. The court may require it be drafted in writing, or may permit it orally - he will have to look into it.

Of course, if he cannot afford a private attorney, he may find that one public defender is replaced by another and he might not like the new one, either.

I hope your friend is not confusing busy work (i.e. unnecessary activity) with competent representation. Private attorneys will do all sorts of things because they bill by the hour. If they meet with the client, talk to the client on the phone, have a staffer do research, draft a motion, file a motion, etc., they bill a good price per hour. Public defenders do no tend to waste time with pointless motions and activity because they do not have the time and the action might be ... well ... pointless.