Richard Haile McWilliams, Petitioner v. United States District Court for the District of Nebraska

Whether federal district courts may conscript counsel appointed under the Criminal Justice Act, 18 U.S.C. § 3006A, to represent a defendant at trial where the defendant: 1) has never asked for counsel and has made it clear through words and action that he does not want court-appointed counsel to represent him; 2) has refused all efforts of court-appointed counsel to meet and discuss the facts, possible defenses, potential consequences, and defendant’s procedural and constitutional rights at trial; and 3) has told court-appointed counsel nothing about the case that would enable the court-appointed counsel to provide the competent and effective representation that the court-appointed counsel is ethically and constitutionally bound to provide.