Dempsey v. State

Barnes, Judge.

Boyce Ladean Dempsey, pro se, appeals his jury conviction and subsequent 12-month probated sentence for the traffic misdemeanor of leaving the scene of an accident. Dempsey contends that he was forced to proceed to trial without benefit of counsel. For the reasons that follow, we reverse Dempsey’s conviction.

The record before us is very sparse and does not contain a transcript of the proceedings below. Generally, absent a transcript, “[e]very presumption of legality will be made in favor of a judgment by a court of competent jurisdiction; and it will be presumed that a judgment…