Sylvester Hooks v. State of Florida

Summary

The court held that a Faretta colloquy is not inadequate merely because the trial judge does not expressly ask about the defendant’s age, experience, or understanding of criminal-procedure rules. It answered the certified question in the negative, approved the district court’s decision, and receded from prior language imposing a categorical requirement for those questions. The governing inquiry instead requires a record determination that the defendant is competent and knowingly and intelligently waives counsel, with the specific content of the inquiry varying according to the circumstances known to the trial judge.