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Art. 512 Assignment of counsel in capital cases

Title XIV: Right to Counsel

When a defendant charged with a capital offense appears for arraignment without counsel, the court shall provide counsel for his defense in accordance with the provisions of R.S. 15:141 et seq. Such counsel must be assigned before the defendant pleads to the indictment, but may be assigned earlier. Counsel assigned in a capital case must have been admitted to the bar for at least five years. An attorney with less experience may be assigned as assistant counsel.

Amendment history: Amended by Acts 1976, No. 653, §2; Acts 2010, No. 861, §2.