State of Washington v. John Martin Maling

431 P.3d 499
CourtCourt of Appeals of Washington
DecidedDecember 18, 2018
Docket35272-2
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 431 P.3d 499 (State of Washington v. John Martin Maling) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Washington primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State of Washington v. John Martin Maling, 431 P.3d 499 (Wash. Ct. App. 2018).

Opinion

FILED DECEMBER 18, 2018 In the Office of the Clerk of Court WA State Court of Appeals, Division III

IN THE COURT OF APPEALS OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON DIVISION THREE

STATE OF WASHINGTON, ) No. 35272-2-III ) Respondent, ) ) v. ) PUBLISHED OPINION ) JOHN MARTIN MALING, ) ) Appellant. )

PENNELL, A.C.J. — Under Washington’s speedy trial rules, an individual

incarcerated on criminal charges generally must be brought to trial within 60 days of

arraignment. The time for trial period can be extended to 90 days if, prior to the

expiration of the 60-day limit, the defendant is released from custody.

John Maling’s case was placed on the superior court docket after the prosecutor

noticed Mr. Maling’s 60-day in-custody trial deadline was within hours of expiring. No. 35272-2-III State v. Maling

Upon appearing before the court, the prosecutor made an oral motion for release. The

trial court granted the motion and Mr. Maling’s speedy trial deadline was extended by

an additional 30 days.

On appeal to this court, Mr. Maling argues the trial court’s release order was

invalid because it was not preceded by a written motion filed at least five days before the

court hearing. We are unpersuaded. Trial courts hold the responsibility for ensuring

compliance with speedy trial rules. The ability to meet this obligation is not hindered by

the technical requirements for motion practice applicable to litigants. The judgment of

conviction is therefore affirmed.

BACKGROUND

On December 3, 2015, the State of Washington charged John Maling with three

counts of possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver. Mr. Maling failed to

appear for an August 29, 2016, pretrial hearing, and the court issued a bench warrant for

Mr. Maling’s arrest.

On September 1, 2016, Mr. Maling appeared in court for arraignment. The trial

court imposed $100,000 bail and scheduled the next hearing for October 10. Consistent

with CrR 3.3(c)(2)(ii), the trial court noted that, because of Mr. Maling’s failure to appear

2 No. 35272-2-III State v. Maling

on August 29, the 60-day speedy trial period recommenced on September 1. As a result,

Mr. Maling’s 60-day statutory speedy trial period would expire on October 31.

Mr. Maling never posted bail. The October 10 hearing did not occur due to an

apparent oversight.

On October 31, 2016, an unidentified third party alerted the prosecution that Mr.

Maling remained in custody. The prosecution then added Mr. Maling’s case to the

court’s afternoon docket for a hearing. Mr. Maling’s counsel happened to be present at

the courthouse on the afternoon of October 31 on another matter and appeared in court

with Mr. Maling for the hearing, which commenced at approximately 3:30 p.m. During

the hearing, the State advised the court the case “[was] a mess.” Report of Proceedings

(Oct. 31, 2016) at 9. The State requested the court either continue the trial schedule or

alternatively, release Mr. Maling.

Defense counsel objected to the court granting a continuance and argued the

speedy trial period had expired. 1 The defense also made an oral motion for dismissal.

1 In subsequent written motions, defense counsel claims he objected to the court conducting the hearing on the basis of proper notice. The record before us does not bear this out. While defense counsel noted at the beginning of the hearing that he had not received advance notice, counsel did not object to the court holding a hearing. Instead, the defense objected to the relief given by the court by arguing that the speedy trial period had already run. The defense also asked for its own substantive relief in the form of dismissal.

3 No. 35272-2-III State v. Maling

The State asserted the 60-day deadline for trial would not expire for another hour and

47 minutes.

After hearing from the parties, the trial court ordered Mr. Maling’s release from

custody on his own recognizance. The court preserved Mr. Maling’s right to later argue

infringement of his speedy trial rights since Mr. Maling received only one hour’s verbal

notice of the October 31 hearing. The trial court recalculated his time for trial as being

90 days, rather than 60, from the September 1 arraignment. Jail authorities later released

Mr. Maling on October 31.

Mr. Maling and the State later agreed to continue the trial beyond 90 days in part

to allow for settlement negotiations, with Mr. Maling presumably reserving the right to

object to violation of the 60-day incarceration speedy trial rule. On March 20, 2017,

Mr. Maling filed a motion to dismiss for violation of his right to a speedy trial. The court

denied the motion. Mr. Maling waived his right to a jury trial, and the court convicted

Mr. Maling as charged.

LAW AND ANALYSIS

Washington’s speedy trial rule generally requires that a defendant held in custody

be brought to trial within 60 days of arraignment. CrR 3.3(b)(1); State v. Chavez-

Romero, 170 Wn. App. 568, 578, 285 P.3d 195 (2012). If the defendant is released

4 No. 35272-2-III State v. Maling

from jail prior to expiration of the 60-day limit, the time for trial is extended to 90 days.

CrR 3.3(b)(3). The State can move for a defendant’s release from custody in order to

extend the speedy trial deadline and avoid dismissal. Chavez-Romero, 170 Wn. App.

at 578-79. Should such motion be submitted, the defendant cannot request continued

incarceration in order to force expiration of the speedy trial period. State v. Kelley,

60 Wn. App. 921, 926-27, 808 P.2d 1150 (1991).

Mr. Maling contends the trial court abused its discretion in ordering his release on

October 31 because the State moved for release without first complying with the notice

and motion requirements set by court rule. The rules referenced by Mr. Maling provide

that requests for court orders must be made by written motion, unless presented during a

hearing or trial. CrR 8.2; CR 7(b)(1). In addition, written motions must be served at least

five days before the hearing at which they are to be decided. CrR 8.1; CR 6(d).

We disagree with Mr. Maling’s technical objection to the trial court’s disposition.

The ultimate responsibility for enforcing Mr. Maling’s speedy trial time fell on the court,

not the prosecution. CrR 3.3(a)(1). Once the State’s prosecutor learned Mr. Maling had

not posted bail, he had a duty as a judicial officer to alert the court of the potential for a

speedy trial violation so the court could take timely corrective action. See State v. White,

5 No. 35272-2-III State v. Maling

94 Wn.2d 498, 502-03, 617 P.2d 998 (1980); 2 State v. Jenkins, 76 Wn. App. 378, 382-83,

884 P.2d 1356 (1994). Given the prosecutor only discovered Mr. Maling’s continued

incarceration on the 60th day of the in-custody speedy trial period, it was appropriate for

the State to alert the trial court of a potential speedy trial problem by immediately placing

Mr. Maling’s case on the docket.

Once Mr. Maling was in court, the judge had discretion to consider oral motions,

including a request for release so as to avoid a speedy trial violation. CR 7(b)(1);

Chavez-Romero, 170 Wn. App. at 578-79; Kelley, 60 Wn. App. at 926-28. As soon as

the court ordered release, Mr.

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