Superior Court of California - County of San Diego.
(1) An attorney may request withdrawal by filing a motion to withdraw. Unless the court orders otherwise, the motion need be served only on the party represented and the attorneys directly affected. (2) The proof of service need not include the address of the party represented.
This process is called "Consensual Substitution of Counsel." A new attorney may replace the current attorney. A new attorney may now represent a client who previously was a self-represented party.
A party can withdraw its designation of an expert trial witness who has not yet been deposed. If the expert continues his or her relationship with the party as a consultant, the opposing party is barred from communicating with or retaining the expert as its own expert.
284. The attorney in an action or special proceeding may be changed at any time before or after judgment or final determination, as follows: 1. Upon the consent of both client and attorney, filed with the clerk, or entered upon the minutes; 2.
Withdrawing a guilty plea after sentencing can be a much more complex process and could require submitting a petition for a writ of habeas corpus or a petition under PC 1473.7. Under California Penal Code Section 1018, the court requires that a defendant show “good cause” to file a motion of withdrawal of plea.
The Rules of Professional Conduct of the State Bar of California specify three circumstances under which an attorney must terminate a client relationship: (1) where the attorney knows or should know that a client is bringing an action, conducting a defense, asserting a position in litigation, or taking an appeal, ...
If you have a lawyer and then decide to represent yourself, or if you hire a lawyer after starting the case yourself, you'll have to let the court know there's a change. To do this, you fill out a Substitution of Attorney (form MC-050) which you file with the court. You also do this if you switch lawyers.