State v. Bush

46 Fla. Supp. 2d 56
CourtCircuit Court for the Judicial Circuits of Florida
DecidedApril 8, 1991
DocketCase No. 90-0001 AC (Lower Court Case No. 88-10463 MM10A)
StatusPublished

This text of 46 Fla. Supp. 2d 56 (State v. Bush) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Circuit Court for the Judicial Circuits of Florida primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State v. Bush, 46 Fla. Supp. 2d 56 (Fla. Super. Ct. 1991).

Opinion

OPINION OF THE COURT

ROBERT W. TYSON, JR., Circuit Judge.

[57]*57Appellee, Larry W. Bush, was charged by information with driving under the influence. The trial court dismissed a portion of the information. Intending to take an interlocutory appeal, the State filed a motion on October 3, 1988 requesting that the trial court extend speedy trial pursuant to Florida Rules of Criminal Procedure, Rule 3.191(d)(2)(iv). The trial court granted the State’s Motion and issued an order at the state’s request which extended the period of time established by Rule 3.191 “to 30 days following issuance of a mandate on appeal.”

The State’s appeal commenced on October 4, 1988 and was finally dismissed by order one year later on November 9, 1989. On December 12, 1989, Appellee moved for speedy trial discharge stating that thirty three (33) days had passed and the defendant was entitled to automatic discharge. The trial court granted the motion for discharge on the authority of Healey v State, 389 So.2d 278 (Fla. 3d DCA 1980) in which the defendant was discharged under the speedy trial rule when not brought to trial within the specified time period provided for in the trial court’s order of extension. It is to the order of discharge that the state addresses this appeal.

Appellant argues that the trial judge erred by relying on the 1980 decision of Healey v State, 389 So.2d 278 (Fla. 3d DCA 1980) in that the subsequent 1981 and the 1984 amendments to the speedy trial rule technically overrule Healey. The 1981 amendment makes uniform a 90-day period to extend speedy trial after an appeal and the 1984 amendment repeals the automatic discharge provisions and enacts the 15 day window period.

The 1981 amendment to Rule 3.191(g) makes uniform a 90 day period within which a defendant must be brought to trial after a mistrial, order of new trial or an Appeal by the State or Defendant (emphasis added). Thus, by the trial court ordering a 30 day extension and not a 90 day extension as prescribed by the rule, the court erred by relying on Healey which had a different rule in effect at the time.

Formerly, the speedy trial rule in effect under the Healey court only prescribed the 90 day period for mistrials or for a new trial. The rule was silent as to other appeals. In construing what was then a silent statute, the Healey court reasoned that when no specific time period is prescribed by order or rule, the constitutional reasonableness test is applicable. In the Healey case the rule was silent and the court rightfully specified the period in the extension order.

The 1984 Amendments repealed the automatic discharge provisions for felony cases, referring instead to an additional total 15 day window under Rule 3.191(i) for failure to try the defendant within the specified [58]*58time. On May 4, 1989 the automatic discharge provision was also repealed as to misdemeanors, effective July 1, 1989.

Thus, appellant argues that the appellee was not entitled to an automatic discharge for failure to bring the case to trial within the trial court’s order of extension; rather, the trial judge should have first abided by Rule 3.191(i) remedies for such failure and not have automatically discharged the defendant.

In response, appellee argues that the trial court order obtained by the state specifically extended the speedy trial period to 30 days after issuance of the mandate on appeal. He argues that this order controls the speedy trial period citing, Healey v State, infra, State v Jenkins, 389 So.2d 971, 975 (Fla. 1980); and Neuman v State, 431 So.2d 168 (Fla. 5th DCA 1983) and that he had a right to rely on the order such that he would be tried within 30 days of the mandate. See, Elison v State, 447 So.2d 261 (Fla. 2d DCA 1983).

Further, appellee argues that a violation of the terms of the specific order mandates an automatic discharge and that this court on appeal should not require the trial court to apply the remedies provision of the speedy trial rule.

Finally, appellee asserts that appellant should be estopped from arguing that they were entitled to more time within which to bring appellee to trial since appellant obtained the original order extending speedy trial.

In ruling on a motion for discharge for speedy trial, it is the date of filing the motion that controls the determination of the applicable version of the speedy trial rule. Zabrani v Cowart, 502 So.2d 1257 (Fla. 3d DCA 1986) affirmed, 506 So.2d 1035 (Fla. 1987). At the time of appellee’s motion for discharge, the amendments to the speedy trial rule through May of 1989 were in effect. Thus, the relevant version of the rule provided for an automatic 90 day extension of speedy trial after appeal and no longer provided an automatic discharge remedy. In fact the rule affirmatively incorporated the remedies provision of section (i).

It is clear from reviewing the Florida Supreme Court decision of State v Jenkins, 389 So.2d 971 (Fla. 1980) discussing the ways that orders granting extensions of speedy trial can effect a defendant’s speedy trial rights, that the supreme court’s upholding of a specified court order extending speedy trial was limited to the then existing silent rule. The best practice in the Supreme Court’s view is for the trial court to specify the number of days, preferably ninety, from receipt of the mandate; however, the Jenkins court remarked that the [59]*591981 rule change modifies and amends rule 3.191(g) and provides an express uniform ninety-day period within which the defendant must be brought to trial after various appellate proceedings. Id at 976.

In recommending what the trial courts should do prior to the rule change the supreme court advised that a 90 day extension should be granted remarking that a ninety day period is consistent with the new rule, and the establishment of this time period in the order could avoid possible confusion and unnecessary litigation. Id. at 976. Following the supreme court’s lead in Jenkins, the Healey court discharged the defendant for not being brought to trial within the time period prescribed by an extension order entered while the speedy trial rule was silent.

The Healey decision properly followed Jenkins with a valid extension order specifying 90 days from the date of the mandate. Like Jenkins, the Healey court was also operating under the pre-1981 rule. The cases upon which appellee relies are likewise appropriate extension orders entered under a pre-1981 silent rule.

Not only were the extension orders appropriately entered under the pre-1981 silent rule, these orders also followed the supreme court’s direction regarding the reasonableness of granting 90 days extensions as recommended in Jenkins. See, State v Ferras, 467 So.2d 765 (Fla. 4th DCA 1985) and State v McQuay, 423 So.2d 1001 (Fla. 3d DCA 1982).

In Ferras, the district court held on the authority of Jenkins that absent the rule providing for a 90 day extension, beginning from receipt of the mandate, a 90 day extension is appropriate in all such cases (emphasis added). In McQuay, the trial court entered a 60 day extension under the pre-1981 silent rule. The mandate was returned after the 1981 rule change went into effect.

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Related

Neuman v. State
431 So. 2d 168 (District Court of Appeal of Florida, 1983)
Zabrani v. Cowart
502 So. 2d 1257 (District Court of Appeal of Florida, 1986)
State v. Jenkins
389 So. 2d 971 (Supreme Court of Florida, 1980)
Healey v. State
389 So. 2d 278 (District Court of Appeal of Florida, 1980)
Zabrani v. Cowart
506 So. 2d 1035 (Supreme Court of Florida, 1987)
State v. McQuay
423 So. 2d 1001 (District Court of Appeal of Florida, 1982)
Ellison v. State
447 So. 2d 261 (District Court of Appeal of Florida, 1983)
State v. Ferras
467 So. 2d 765 (District Court of Appeal of Florida, 1985)
In re Amendment to Florida Rule of Criminal Procedure 3.191
542 So. 2d 1330 (Supreme Court of Florida, 1989)

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Bluebook (online)
46 Fla. Supp. 2d 56, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-bush-flacirct-1991.