"Strike Three Yer Out!?": Examining the Constitutional Limits on the Use of Prior Uncounseled DWI Convictions to Impose Mandatory Prison Sentences on Repeat DWI Offenders

Authors

Marty Jaquez

Library of Congress Authority File

http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n79122466

Document Type

Comment

Abstract

This Comment examines the constitutional implications of using prior uncounseled DWI convictions to incarcerate repeat DWI offenders. The Comment reviews the Supreme Court decisions that established the right to court-appointed counsel for the indigent accused and examines the federal constitutional limitations on the collateral use of prior uncounseled DWI convictions. It also critically evaluates state court decisions involving the collateral use of prior uncounseled DWI convictions. The author concludes that, because an uncounseled conviction is inherently unreliable, it should not be used to mandatorily incarcerate a DWI repeat offender.

Recommended Citation

Marty Jaquez, "Strike Three Yer Out!?": Examining the Constitutional Limits on the Use of Prior Uncounseled DWI Convictions to Impose Mandatory Prison Sentences on Repeat DWI Offenders, 28 San Diego L. Rev. 685 (1991).
Available at: https://digital.sandiego.edu/sdlr/vol28/iss3/6