Legal Opinion
Cunningham v. Superior Court
California Court of Appeal
Decided February 6, 1986No. B004588PublishedCited by 35 opinions
1Opinion of the Court
Opinion
GILBERT, J.
Petitioner Judson Cunningham is an attorney. Respondent is the superior court which ordered him to represent an indigent defendant in a paternity action instituted by the County of Ventura. Cunningham refused. The court held him in contempt. Cunningham seeks certiorari of the superior court’s order holding him in contempt, and challenges the court’s authority to compel him to perform pro bono representation. We conclude that to require Cunningham to provide legal services without compensation is to deny him equal protection of the law.
Facts
Cunningham practices law in Ventura…
2Cases cited60 opinions
- Bates v. State Bar of ArizonaSupreme Court of the United States · 1977
- Ohralik v. Ohio State Bar Assn.Supreme Court of the United States · 1978
- Goldfarb v. Virginia State BarSupreme Court of the United States · 1975
- D'AMICO v. Board of Medical ExaminersCalifornia Supreme Court · 1974
- Serrano v. PriestCalifornia Supreme Court · 1971
55 more not listed; retrieve them via the Exa API.
3Cited by35 opinions
- State Ex Rel. Stephan v. SmithSupreme Court of Kansas · 1987
- People v. OrtizCalifornia Supreme Court · 1990
- Bell v. Blue Cross of CaliforniaCalifornia Court of Appeal · 2005
- State ex rel. Wyoming Workers' Compensation Division v. BrownWyoming Supreme Court · 1991
- Pruett v. StateMississippi Supreme Court · 1990
30 more not listed; retrieve them via the Exa API.