Rule 2-10 Withdrawal of Counsel

If your lawyer wants to stop representing you during an appeal, they can't just quit whenever they want. Once the case has moved from the trial court to the Court of Appeal (meaning the trial court no longer has control over it), the lawyer must ask the Court of Appeal for permission to withdraw from the case.

The lawyer has to file a written request, called a motion, asking to withdraw. The lawyer themselves must sign this motion. The court then decides whether to grant or deny the request.

This rule matters because it protects you as a client. It makes sure you won't suddenly find yourself without a lawyer partway through your appeal without the court knowing about it and having a chance to make sure your case is handled properly. It also prevents lawyers from dropping cases without any oversight once the appeal process has started.