SAN DIEGO, Calif. — A misdemeanor hearing in San Diego County Superior Court was continued for 30 days Thursday after the accused appeared without legal representation and informed the judge that his attorney had instructed him to request a delay.
The accused explained that his attorney had directed him to seek a continuance but had not appeared in court or provided further guidance, leaving him to communicate the request directly to the judge.
Deputy Public Defender Mikaela Gareeb appeared as a friend of the court and requested a 30-day continuance because of the defense attorney’s absence.
The prosecution agreed to the request but noted that, to its knowledge, the accused had already been arraigned.
Judge Rachel Cano granted the continuance, citing the defense attorney’s reliability in previous proceedings. Cano suggested that an emergency may have prevented the attorney from appearing, although no explanation for the absence was confirmed during the hearing.
The prosecution also requested that the accused provide documentation verifying his attendance at Alcoholics Anonymous meetings when proceedings resume.
The hearing comes amid broader concerns about the resources available for indigent defense in California. According to a CalMatters investigation, public defenders in some jurisdictions handle 300 to 500 cases annually, raising questions about their ability to provide adequate representation.
California counties also collectively spend nearly twice as much on prosecution as they do on public defense, reflecting longstanding disparities in funding between the two sides of the criminal legal system.
The circumstances surrounding the defense attorney’s absence remain unclear, including whether the absence was related to workload or another emergency. The accused is expected to return to court in 30 days, when the prosecution has requested documentation of his Alcoholics Anonymous attendance.
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