Jones v. State

SIMEONE, Senior Judge.

The issue presented in this appeal by the State of Missouri is whether, in the absence of any claim of ineffectiveness of counsel, the movant-respondent was not afforded her constitutional right to counsel for the sole reason that her retained attorney was not duly “licensed” at the time of her guilty plea and sentence because the attorney failed to pay his bar dues in compliance with Rule 6.01 and was thus suspended from the practice of law.

The trial court, after an evidentiary hearing, made findings of fact and conclusions of law that “movant was not afforded the right…