State v. Cantrell

758 P.2d 1, 111 Wash. 2d 385, 1988 Wash. LEXIS 167
CourtWashington Supreme Court
DecidedJuly 15, 1988
Docket54665-7
StatusPublished
Cited by23 cases

This text of 758 P.2d 1 (State v. Cantrell) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Washington Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State v. Cantrell, 758 P.2d 1, 111 Wash. 2d 385, 1988 Wash. LEXIS 167 (Wash. 1988).

Opinions

Brachtenbach, J. —

The trial court granted defendant's motion to dismiss a second degree escape charge on the ground of prosecutorial delay in charging defendant. The Court of Appeals reversed. State v. Cantrell, 49 Wn. App. 917, 745 P.2d 1314 (1987). We affirm the Court of Appeals.

Defendant was in custody on a conviction of second degree robbery. He was given a 1-day pass permitting him to leave the detention facility. He did not return until 3 days later on March 11, 1986. The police investigative report was received by the prosecutor's office on March 14. Sometime between April 29 and May 7, the prosecutor received a certified copy of the order placing defendant in custody for the conviction for which he was being held. On May 7 the prosecutor filed the escape charge. Almost 3 months later, on August 5, defendant moved to dismiss the escape charge.

At the hearing on defendant's motion no testimony was taken, no affidavits were filed, neither side filed a brief. Defense counsel stated:

I'm making the argument on purely equitable grounds. I have no legal authority, but I think the handling of it is a blatant violation of the policy of the Juvenile Justice Act, to treat these things expeditiously, especially, when there's no good reason for this type of delay.

[387]*387Motion hearing, at 3. We note appellate counsel was not trial counsel.

The juvenile court made no finding of any prejudice to defendant; indeed, the findings and conclusions are silent as to any harm to defendant's interests.

The court entered as a conclusion of law: " [t]hat LJuCR 7.14(b) requires that the prosecutor file a case within 14 days of receipt from the police." The court also concluded that prosecutorial delay "of over two months [sic] in filing the escape charge without sufficient reason constitutes unreasonable delay." Conclusion of law 3.

The above conclusion of law referred to LJuCR 7.14(b). That rule is not in the record, but its content appears in the briefs, the opinion of the Court of Appeals as originally filed, the petition for review, and as argued. The difficulty is that everyone relied upon a rule not applicable to this case.

Local rules, to be effective, must be filed with the State Administrator for the Courts. "Such rules and amendments become effective only after they are filed as required." GR 7(a). Clear notice of this requirement is provided by JuCR 1.4(d): " [l]ocal rules for juvenile court proceedings must be adopted in accordance with GR 7."

According to the records of the State Administrator for the Courts, the last local rule in point was filed August 2, 1984, denominated as LJuCR 7.14. It is attached hereto as appendix A, denominated herein as the 1984 rule. The rule relied upon and cited through oral argument before this court was not filed until May 6, 1988, and therefore was not applicable because it was not effective until filed. It is attached as appendix B, referred to as the 1988 rule.

The transmittal letter to the Administrator states that the 1988 rule was effective September 1, 1983. That is inconsistent with the 1984 filing; moreover, the 1988 rule was not effective in 1983 because of JuCR 1.4(d) and GR 7(a). Apparently the Court of Appeals became aware of this error after filing its opinion; it amended its opinion so that the published text reflected the 1984 rule. To state it [388]*388mildly, it is distressing that the parties, through three levels of court, did not ascertain which rule was applicable.

The 1988 rule, the one relied upon heretofore, permits dismissal if there has been an unreasonable delay in referral of the offense by the police to the prosecutor. It creates a presumption of unreasonable delay if more than 14 days elapse after the completion of the police investigation before referral to the prosecutor. The 1988 rule then requires a balancing of four elements, including the impact of the delay on the ability to defend against the charge. Even though the 1988 rule, thought below to be applicable, referred only to delay in referral from the police to the prosecutor, the juvenile court imposed the same time limit on the prosecutor. Specifically, conclusion of law 3 held that the rule required the prosecutor to file a case within 14 days of receipt of the file from the police. That conclusion was plainly in error.

The 1984 rule is confusing. It speaks of delay in referral of an offense to the court, rather than filing an information. RCW 13.40.070(3), (4), (5); JuCR 7.1. While the rule refers to unreasonable delay in referring the case to the court, the rule only defines unreasonable delay in referral from the police to the prosecutor.

Given this record and the state of the rules, we confine our analysis to CrR 8.3(b). Superior Court Criminal Rules apply in juvenile offense proceedings and when not inconsistent with juvenile court rules. Local rules apply only when not inconsistent with juvenile court rules. JuCR 1.4(b), (c).

CrR 8.3(b) authorizes dismissal of a criminal prosecution "in the furtherance of justice". Such dismissal is an extraordinary remedy. State v. Baker, 78 Wn.2d 327, 332, 474 P.2d 254 (1970).

Dismissal for delay in bringing criminal charges is rooted in due process. United States v. Lovasco, 431 U.S. 783, 52 L. Ed. 2d 752, 97 S. Ct. 2044 (1977). Lovasco points out that "proof of prejudice is generally a necessary but not [389]*389sufficient element of a due process claim, and that the due process inquiry must consider the reasons for the delay as well as the prejudice to the accused." Lovasco, 431 U.S. at 790. The narrow and restricted meaning of Lovasco is clear: "We therefore hold that to prosecute a defendant following investigative delay does not deprive him of due process, even if his defense might have been somewhat prejudiced by the lapse of time." Lovasco, 431 U.S. at 796.

Finally and importantly Lovasco recognizes the underlying separation of powers issue:

But the Due Process Clause does not permit courts to abort criminal prosecutions simply because they disagree with a prosecutor's judgment as to when to seek an indictment. Judges are not free, in defining "due process," to impose on law enforcement officials our "personal and private notions" of fairness and to "disregard the limits that bind judges in their judicial function." Rochin v. California, 342 U.S. 165, 170 [96 L. Ed. 183, 72 S. Ct. 205, 25 A.L.R.2d 1396] (1952). Our task is more circumscribed. We are to determine only whether the action complained of — here, compelling respondent to stand trial after the Government delayed indictment to investigate further — violates those "fundamental conceptions of justice which lie at the base of our civil and political institutions," . . . and which define "the community's sense of fair play and decency," . . .

(Citation omitted.) Lovasco, 431 U.S. at 790.

This court applies the Lovasco analysis to juvenile proceedings.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
758 P.2d 1, 111 Wash. 2d 385, 1988 Wash. LEXIS 167, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-cantrell-wash-1988.