Justin A. D. Nelson v. State of Alaska

Summary

The court held that a public defender has an imputed conflict of interest when a defendant alleges ineffective assistance against another public defender in the same office. A defendant is entitled to conflict-free counsel immediately upon raising that claim in a motion to withdraw a guilty plea, and the superior court erred by requiring Nelson to proceed without such counsel. The court reversed and remanded for appointment of conflict counsel and reconsideration of the plea-withdrawal motion.