State v. George

158 P.3d 1169
CourtWashington Supreme Court
DecidedJune 7, 2007
Docket78362-4
StatusPublished
Cited by56 cases

This text of 158 P.3d 1169 (State v. George) 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. George, 158 P.3d 1169 (Wash. 2007).

Opinion

158 P.3d 1169 (2007)

STATE of Washington, Respondent,
v.
Keith Gregory GEORGE, Petitioner.

No. 78362-4.

Supreme Court of Washington, En Banc.

Argued February 27, 2007.
Decided June 7, 2007.

*1171 Sarah McNeel Hrobsky, Gregory Charles Link, Washington Appellate Project, Seattle, WA, for Petitioner.

Deborah A. Dwyer, King County Pros. Ofc/Appellate Unit, Prosecuting Atty. King County, King County Pros/App Unit Supervisor, James Morrissey Whisman, King County Prosecutor's Office, Seattle, WA, for Respondent.

Seth Aaron Fine, Snohomish County Pros. Office, Everett, WA, for Amicus Curiae on behalf of Washington Association of Prosecuting Attorneys.

MADSEN, J.

¶ 1 Keith George challenges his conviction on two counts of violating a no-contact order. The charges originated in Renton and Kent Municipal Courts but were tried in King County Superior Court. George contends that the Renton Municipal Court erred in resetting the time for trial when he was absent from two pretrial hearings while detained by the city of Kent and King County District Court on unrelated charges. He also contends that his conviction on the charge initially filed in Kent violated the prohibition against double jeopardy because the Kent Municipal Court had dismissed the charge with prejudice before it was tried in superior court.

¶ 2 The central issue in this case is whether the State must demonstrate that it exercised good faith and due diligence in attempting to procure a defendant's presence in court in order to avail itself of CrRLJ 3.3(c)(2)(ii), which requires a trial court to reset the time for trial when a defendant has failed to appear at a proceeding. We hold that application of CrRLJ 3.3(c)(2)(ii) does not require a showing of due diligence. However, we hold that the trial court erred in resetting the time for trial under CrRLJ 3.3(c)(2)(ii) because the period George was detained on unrelated charges is excluded from the time-for-trial calculation under CrRLJ 3.3(e)(2). We also hold that George's right against double jeopardy was not violated and affirm his convictions.

FACTS

¶ 3 On February 4, 2004, George was arraigned in Renton Municipal Court on a charge of violating a no-contact order. On February 24, 2004, he was arraigned in Kent Municipal Court on a charge of violating the same no-contact order on a separate occasion. On February 27, 2004, George was charged in King County Superior Court with felony harassment and violation of a no-contact *1172 order, the latter charge involving the same incident underlying the Kent charge. He remained in custody while the multiple charges were pending.

¶ 4 George was absent from two pretrial hearings in Renton while he was detained at the Kent city jail and the King County correctional facility. The Renton court issued a bench warrant each time and reset the time for trial at George's next appearance.

¶ 5 George did not object to the trial date set after his first absence. He did object to the trial date set after his second absence and noted a motion to dismiss for violation of the time-for-trial rule. Before the motion hearing, the Renton Municipal Court dismissed the charge without prejudice to allow it to be consolidated with the superior court charges.

¶ 6 A jury trial was scheduled for April 28, 2004 on the Kent charge. The court docket for that day indicates that the court held a pretrial hearing to address the State's motion to amend the information and George's motion to suppress evidence. The trial court dismissed the charge "with prejudice" due to the State's failure to prove that George had been personally served with the no-contact order he was charged with violating.

¶ 7 On May 11, 2004, George was arraigned in King County Superior Court.[1] On July 13, 2004, the first day of trial, the State amended the information to include the charge that had been dismissed in Renton. The matter proceeded to trial and a jury convicted him as charged.

¶ 8 On appeal, George argued that the conviction on the charge originally filed in Renton must be reversed for violation of the time-for-trial rule. He contended that the time for trial elapsed before the charge was refiled in superior court. He further argued that the conviction on the charge originally filed in Kent violated the prohibition against double jeopardy because the municipal court had dismissed it "with prejudice."

¶ 9 The Court of Appeals rejected both claims. The court held that George's absence from the two pretrial hearings in Renton required the trial court to reset the time for trial under the plain language of CrRLJ 3.3(c)(2)(ii) ("failure to appear"). Relying on City of Seattle v. Guay, 150 Wash.2d 288, 76 P.3d 231 (2003), the Court of Appeals rejected George's argument that the State had a duty to transport him to the proceedings, reasoning that there is no mechanism by which a court of limited jurisdiction may compel another court to release a defendant from its custody. The court further held that the State did not violate the prohibition against double jeopardy because jeopardy had not yet attached when the Kent Municipal Court dismissed the charge. George petitioned for review.

ANALYSIS

¶ 10 As a threshold matter, the State contends that George waived his right to object to a violation of the time-for-trial rule by failing to object to the trial dates set following his absences in Renton Municipal Court and by failing to move for dismissal at superior court.

¶ 11 A defendant waives the right to assert a time-for-trial violation by failing to object within 10 days after receiving notice of a trial date. CrRLJ 3.3(d)(3). George appears to concede that he waived the right to object to the trial date set after his first absence. George did object, however, to the July 15, 2004 trial date set after his second absence. Additionally, George noted an objection to the trial date set in superior court. Accordingly, as did the Court of Appeals, we address the merits of his rule-based speedy trial claim.

Time-for-Trial Rule

¶ 12 CrRLJ 3.3 governs the time for trial in courts of limited jurisdiction. A defendant must be brought to trial within 60 days of arraignment if he or she is detained on the pending charge and within 90 days if not. CrRLJ 3.3(b)(1)(i), (2)(i). The time for trial begins anew upon the occurrence of any of *1173 eight specified events. CrRLJ 3.3(c)(2)(i)(viii). The time for trial tolls during nine specified periods of time. CrRLJ 3.3(e)(1)(9). If the State does not bring the defendant to trial within the time limit determined under the rule, taking into account any applicable resets or exclusions, the charge must be dismissed with prejudice. CrRLJ 3.3(h). However, if a trial was delayed by circumstances not addressed in the rule, the charge may not be dismissed unless the trial delay violated the defendant's constitutional right to a speedy trial. CrRLJ 3.3(a)(4).

¶ 13 On February 4, 2004, George was arraigned out of custody on the Renton charge. He was not brought to trial during the 132 days that the charge was pending. Thus, the time-for-trial rule was violated unless the time for trial either recommenced or tolled for a sufficient period of time to excuse the delay.

¶ 14 CrRLJ 3.3(c)(2)(ii) requires the trial court to assign a new start date for the time for trial upon the occurrence of certain events, including:

Failure to Appear. The failure of the defendant to appear for any proceeding at which the defendant's presence was required.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
158 P.3d 1169, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-george-wash-2007.