Lewis v. State
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SLIP OPINION
Cite as 2009 Ark. 573
SUPREME COURT OF ARKANSAS
No.
CR 09-703
Opinion Delivered
ALBERT LEWIS
Appellant
November 12, 2009
PRO SE MOTION FOR TRANSCRIPT
AT PUBLIC EXPENSE [CIRCUIT
COURT OF CRITTENDEN COUNTY,
CR 2008-600]
v.
STATE OF ARKANSAS
Appellee
MOTION DENIED.
PER CURIAM
In 2008, appellant Albert Lewis was sentenced as a habitual offender to consecutive
terms of life imprisonment for rape and 360 months for kidnapping. An appeal from the
judgment has been lodged in this court by appellant’s attorney. Now before us is appellant’s pro
se motion requesting a copy at public expense of the transcript lodged on appeal or use of the
transcript. In the motion, appellant contends that he needs the transcript because “without
access to the trial transcript, the defendant will be effectively precluded from presenting to this
court anything other than conclusory allegations based upon his memory of the trial proceedings
which, at this late date, has been distorted by the passage of time.”
Indigency alone does not entitle an appellant to free photocopying. See Layton v. State,
2009 Ark. 438 (per curiam), citing Washington v. State, 270 Ark. 840, 606 S.W.2d 365 (1980) (per
curiam). Appellant here is represented by counsel. An appellant is not entitled to accept
appointment of counsel and also proceed pro se. Hamilton v. State, 348 Ark. 532, 74 S.W.3d 615
Cite as 2009 Ark. 573
(2002). We do not allow an appellant to substitute his judgment for that of his attorney. See
George v. State, 2009 Ark. 444 (per curiam), citing Brewer v. State, 371 Ark. 532, 268 S.W.3d 332
(2007) (per curiam). Clearly, appellant does not require a copy of the transcript to prepare a brief
or pleadings to be filed in this appeal. Accordingly, the motion is denied.1
Motion denied.
1
A transcript lodged in the appellate court remains permanently on file with the clerk. Unless the
transcript is being maintained under seal, persons may review a transcript in the clerk’s office and photocopy
all or portions of it. An incarcerated person desiring a photocopy of a transcript may write this court, remit
the photocopying fee, and request that the copy be mailed to the prison. All persons, including prisoners,
must bear the cost of photocopying. Moore v. State, 324 Ark. at 455, 921 S.W.2d at 607 (1996) (per curiam).
2
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