GUIDELINE 7.1 – MONITORING; REMOVAL
A. The appointing authority should monitor the performance of assigned counsel to ensure that the client is receiving quality representation. Where there is compelling evidence that an attorney has inexcusably ignored basic responsibilities of an effective lawyer, resulting in prejudice to the client's case, the attorney should not receive additional appointments. Where there is compelling evidence that an unalterable systemic defect in a defender office has caused a default in the basic responsibilities of an effective lawyer, resulting in prejudice to a client's case, the office should not receive additional appointments. The appointing authority shall establish a procedure which gives written notice to counsel or a defender office whose removal is being sought, and an opportunity for counsel or the defender office to respond in writing.
B. In fulfilling its monitoring function, however, the appointing authority should not attempt to interfere with the conduct of particular cases. Representation of an accused establishes an inviolable attorney-client relationship. In the context of a particular case, removal of counsel from representation should not occur over the objection of the client.
C. No attorney or defender office should be readmitted to the appointment roster after removal under (a) above unless such removal is shown to have been erroneous or it is established by clear and convincing evidence that the cause of the failure to meet basic responsibilities has been identified and corrected.