Case Title: Sanchez v. Commonwealth

Citation: 

Docket Number: SJC-13261

State: massachusetts

Court: Massachusetts Supreme Court

Date: 2022-06-22T00:00:00Z

Document:
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SJC-13261 
 
JORGE SANCHEZ  vs.  COMMONWEALTH. 
 
 
June 22, 2022. 
 
 
Moot Question. 
 
 
 
Jorge Sanchez appeals from a judgment of the county court 
denying, without a hearing, his petition for relief under G. L. 
c. 211, § 3.  We dismiss the appeal as moot. 
 
 
Sanchez was charged in the District Court with rape and 
other offenses.  At his bail hearing, he requested a probable 
cause hearing on the ground that rape is an offense outside the 
District Court's jurisdiction.  See G. L. c. 276, § 38; 
Commonwealth v. Perkins, 464 Mass. 92, 98, 103 (2013) (statute 
"provides for a probable cause hearing in cases where a 
defendant is charged with a crime in the District Court that 
lies beyond the jurisdiction of that court and for which the 
defendant is entitled to be proceeded against by indictment"; 
"probable cause hearing is to be held as soon as reasonably 
practicable in the circumstances presented").  His request was 
denied.  Instead, a pretrial conference was scheduled.  
Sanchez's G. L. c. 211, § 3, petition sought relief from the 
denial of a probable cause hearing.  After the single justice 
denied relief, the defendant again requested, and was granted, a 
probable cause hearing date.1  Sanchez has thus received the 
specific relief he was seeking in his petition, rendering this 
appeal moot.  See Santiago v. Young, 446 Mass. 1006, 1006 
(2006). 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Appeal dismissed. 
 
1 The Commonwealth has since entered a nolle prosequi as to 
the rape charge. 
2 
 
 
 
 
Thomas Combs & Korrina Burnham, Committee for Public 
Counsel Services, for Jorge Sanchez. 
 
Aimee Rose Maldonado, Assistant District Attorney, for the 
Commonwealth.