Can a defendant withdraw a plea of guilty at any time before judgment?

Although in a few states statutes confer an absolute right on the defendant to withdraw a plea of guilty at any time before judgment (see 22 C.J.S. Criminal Law 421(3), p. 645; 16 C.J. 397, 730) in California, as in most states, the applicable statute (Penal Code, 1018) provides that in the case of a defendant represented by counsel the court may for good cause shown, permit the plea of guilty to be withdrawn. The statute further provides that it is to be liberally construed to promote justice. ¹ People v. Singh, 156 Cal.App.2d 363, 366, 319 P.2d

Page 288