Commonwealth v. Kratzer

38 Pa. D. & C.3d 528, 1985 Pa. Dist. & Cnty. Dec. LEXIS 228
CourtPennsylvania Court of Common Pleas, Northumberland County
DecidedJune 18, 1985
Docketno. CR-84-360
StatusPublished

This text of 38 Pa. D. & C.3d 528 (Commonwealth v. Kratzer) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Pennsylvania Court of Common Pleas, Northumberland County primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Commonwealth v. Kratzer, 38 Pa. D. & C.3d 528, 1985 Pa. Dist. & Cnty. Dec. LEXIS 228 (Pa. Super. Ct. 1985).

Opinion

KREHEL, P.J.,

Before the court is the Commonwealth’s petition for extension of time to commence trial and defendant’s motion to dismiss for failure to comply with Pa.R.Crim.P. 1100.

On May 14, 1984, a complaint was filed charging defendant with Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol, 75 Pa.C.S. §3731(a)(l), Driving Under the Combined Influence of Alcohol and a Controlled Substance, 75 Pa.C.S. §3731(a)(3), Speeding, 75 Pa.C.S. §3362(a), Reckless Driving, 75 Pa.C.S. §3714 and Failure to Use Turn Signals, 75 Pa.C.S. § 3334(a). At the preliminary hearing on June 12, 1984, all five charges were held for court.

The Commonwealth requested an extension of time to commence trial on October 10, 1984. This request was granted on October 17, 1984 by this judge.

The Commonwealth requested another extension of time to commence trial on December 5, 1984. [529]*529This request was granted on December 12, 1984.

The Commonwealth again requested an extension of time to commence trial on January 24, 1985. This request was granted by order of the Honorable Samuel C. Ranch on February 8, 1985.

The present petition for .extension of time to commence trial was filed by the Commonwealth on May 30, 1985. On June 13, 1985, a hearing was held on the Commonwealth’s, petition, at which time defendant requested a dismissal of the charges due to alleged violations of Pa.R.Crim.P. 1100. In particular, defendant alleged that the Commonwealth’s petition for extension was untimely filed and that the Commonwealth faded to exercise due diligence in bringing this case to trial.

It is clear that a petition for extension of time must be filed prior to the expiration of the mandatory period computed from the filing of the complaint to the date the Commonwealth files its petition, less any time properly excluded under Pa.R.Crim.P. 1100(d). Commonwealth v. Shelton, 469 Pa. 8, 364 A.2d 694 (1976); Commonwealth v. Delauter, 257 Pa. Super. 510, 390 A.2d 1354 (1978); Commonwealth v. Morgan, 484 Pa. 117, 398 A.2d 972 (1979); Commonwealth v. Mines, 282 Pa. Super. 157, 422 A.2d 876 (1980); Commonwealth v. Schlegel, 57 Northumberland Leg. J. 33 (1984), affirmed by Superior Court, no. 03018 Phila. 1984, filed May 31, 1985.

Judge Ranck’s order of February 8, 1985 extended the time to commence trial to the next term of criminal court. Criminal court terms were held February 19-28, 1985 and March 13-22, 1985. It does not matter whether this court construes the February 8, 1985 order as extending the time to commence trial to the February term or March term of criminal court, because the Commonwealth [530]*530failed to request an extension of time until May 30, 1985, during the May term of criminal court. Therefore, unless there is some excludable time, the Commonwealth’s petition is untimely filed.

The Commonwealth contends that the filing of the petitions for extension was not necessary, because defendant had waived her rights under Rule 1100 when she had applied for Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition (A.R.D.) in late 1984.

Rule 1100(d) provides:

“In determining the period for commencement of trial, there shall be excluded therefrom: ... (2) Any period of time for which that defendant expressly waives Rule 1100.” Pa.R. Crim.P. 1100(d)(2).

The Commonwealth has the burden of establishing the validity of any waiver. Commonwealth v. Myrick, 468 Pa. 155, 360 A.2d 598 (1976).

“So long as there is an indication, on the record, th,at the waiver is the informed and voluntary decision of defendant, it will be accorded prima facie validity. Absent this record indication of validity, the waiver will be ineffective.” Commmonwealth v. Myrick, supra, 468 Pa. at 160, 360 A.2d at 600.

The comment to Pa. R. Crim. P. 1100 provides that:

“. . . [T]he attorney for the Commonwealth- may request that defendant waive Rule 1100 for the period of time spent in processing and considering defendant’s inclusion into the A.R.D. program.” While a waiver may be requested, the Commonwealth must still demonstrate that the waiver is valid.

In the present case, the Commonwealth referred to an A.R.D. application and waiver of Rule 1100 allegedly signed by defendant and her attorney in November, 1984. However, no such document appears of record and no such document was introduced at the June 13, 1985 hearing in this matter. Therefore, [531]*531this court has no way of knowing whether the alleged waiver in fact exists.

What does appear of record is a petition for accelerated rehabilitative disposition filed by defendant on December 10, 1984. This petition contains no-waiver of any rights under Rule 1100.

Bald assertions by the attorney for the Commonwealth are no substitute for proof and fact. Commonwealth v. Goldwire, 279 Pa. Super. 451, 421 A.2d 286 (1980). Accordingly, the Commonwealth has failed to meet its burden of establishing a valid waiver.

Nevertheless, the' Commonwealth urges this court to address the validity of the purported waiver.

The waiver allegedly signed by defendant was part of a standard form formerly used by the Commonwealth for requests for A.R.D. placement. The form provided, in pertinent part:

“I am ¿ware of my right to a speedy trial and that this petition shall cause a delay in having said criminal charges disposed of by the court.

“I specifically waive my rights under Rule 1100 of Pennsylvania Rules of Criminal Procedure to a prompt trial.”

This court has previously expressed its doubts as to the validity of this waiver. Commonwealth v. Walls, Northumberland County, Criminal Division, no. CR-83-555, filed November 16, 1984; Commonwealth v. Bielski, Northumberland County, Criminal Division, no. CR-83-536, filed November 21, 1984. This court now decides that even if defendant had signed this purported waiver, it would make no difference in the outcome of this case, because this purported waiver, standing alone, is not valid.

Pa.R.Crim.P. 1100 was enacted in the wake of Barker v. Wingo, 407 U.S. 514, 92 S.Ct. 2182, 33 L.Ed. 2d 101 (1972), to implement and protect a de[532]*532fendant’s right to a speedy trial. Commonwealth v. Hamilton, 449 Pa. 297, 297 A.2d 127 (1972). However, its particular terms are not directly required by the Constitution.

“Nevertheless, the basic requirements for making a valid waiver of constitutional rights . . . are instructive in our consideration of the validity of a claimed waiver of the protections of rule 1100.” Commonwealth v. Myrick, supra, 468 Pa. at 161, 360 A.2d at 600.

Regarding any constitutional rights, such as the right to a speedy trial, the Commonwealth must prove that any waiver was intelligently made. Miranda v. Arizona,

Related

Miranda v. Arizona
384 U.S. 436 (Supreme Court, 1966)
Barker v. Wingo
407 U.S. 514 (Supreme Court, 1972)
Commonwealth v. Morgan
398 A.2d 972 (Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 1979)
Commonwealth v. Goldwire
421 A.2d 286 (Superior Court of Pennsylvania, 1980)
Commonwealth v. Myrick
360 A.2d 598 (Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 1976)
Commonwealth v. Mines
422 A.2d 876 (Superior Court of Pennsylvania, 1980)
Commonwealth v. Knupp
490 A.2d 1 (Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 1985)
Commonwealth v. Delauter
390 A.2d 1354 (Superior Court of Pennsylvania, 1978)
Commonwealth v. Martin
446 A.2d 965 (Superior Court of Pennsylvania, 1982)
Commonwealth v. Hamilton
297 A.2d 127 (Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 1972)
Commonwealth v. Coleman
383 A.2d 1268 (Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 1978)
Commonwealth v. Jones
322 A.2d 119 (Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 1974)
Commonwealth v. Shelton
364 A.2d 694 (Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 1976)

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Bluebook (online)
38 Pa. D. & C.3d 528, 1985 Pa. Dist. & Cnty. Dec. LEXIS 228, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/commonwealth-v-kratzer-pactcomplnorthu-1985.