Ex Parte Steven Jerald McCAIN, Appellant

Summary

The Court affirmed the lower courts, holding that a violation of the mandatory statutory provision requiring appointment of counsel before a felony defendant waives a jury trial is not a jurisdictional defect or a fundamental constitutional right and therefore is not cognizable on a writ of habeas corpus. Justice Holcomb dissented, arguing that such statutory violations render a conviction void and should be reviewable on habeas.