Discretionary appointment of counsel

New Mexico , Legislation , Forfeiture (incomplete)

NMSA 1978, § 31-27-6(C) provides that in a civil forfeiture proceeding, “If the criminal defendant in the related criminal matter is represented by the public defender department, the chief public defender or the district public defender may authorize department representation of the defendant in the forfeiture proceeding.”

Appointment of Counsel: Discretionary
Qualified: No
? If "yes", the established right to counsel or discretionary appointment of counsel is limited in some way, including any of: the only authority is a lower/intermediate court decision or a city council, not a high court or state legislature; there has been a subsequent case that has cast doubt; a statute is ambiguous; or the right or discretionary appointment is not for all types of individuals or proceedings within that category.