Did Denial of a Trial Adjournment to Allow a Criminal Defendant to Replace a Public Defender With Private Counsel Deprive Defendant of His Constitutional Right to Counsel? The Supreme Court Will Decide.

The Supreme Court announced late on Friday that it has granted certification in State v. Maisonet. The question presented on this appeal, as phrased by the Supreme Court Clerk’s office, is “Was defendant denied his constitutional right to counsel of his choice?” In reviewing defendant’s convictions for first degree murder, fourth degree aggravated assault, and various weapons offenses, a two-judge panel of the Appellate Division, in an unpublished opinion, found no such error.