Rule 42.2 Appointment of Counsel to Assist Retained Counsel

A judge in a criminal case has the power to bring in an extra lawyer to help a defendant's already-hired attorney. This can happen at any point in the case, whether before the trial starts, while it is going on, or even after it ends.

This rule gives judges flexibility to make sure a defense is handled well when the situation calls for extra legal help. It does not explain when or why a judge would do this, but it leaves that decision up to the judge's judgment.