Mollins v. State

Deen, Judge.

State appellate court cases holding that a commitment hearing in a criminal case is not a critical stage of the proceedings (Molignaro v. Balkcom, 221 Ga. 150 (143 SE2d 748); Moore v. State, 113 Ga. App. 738 (149 SE2d 492)) are superseded by the holding in Coleman v. Alabama, 399 U. S. 1, 9 (90 SC 1999, 26 LE2d 387): "Plainly, the guiding hand of counsel at the preliminary hearing is essential to protect the indigent accused against an erroneous or improper prosecution. First, the lawyer’s skilled examination and cross-examination of witnesses may expose fatal weaknesses in the…