Task: songer_othappth

What follows is an opinion from a United States Court of Appeals. You will be asked a question pertaining to some threshold issue at the appeals court level. That is, it is conceded that the trial court properly reached the merits, but the issue is whether, in spite of that concession, the appellant has a right to an appeals court decision on the merits (e.g., the issue became moot after the trial).  The issue is: "Did the court refuse to rule on the merits of the appeal because of some threshhold issue other than timeliness or frivolousness that was relevant on appeal but not at the original trial? (e.g., the case became moot after the original trial)" Answer the question based on the directionality of the appeals court decision. If the court discussed the issue in its opinion and answered the related question in the affirmative, answer "Yes". If the issue was discussed and the opinion answered the question negatively, answer "No". If the opinion considered the question but gave a mixed answer, supporting the respondent in part and supporting the appellant in part, answer "Mixed answer". If the opinion does not discuss the issue, or notes that a particular issue was raised by one of the litigants but the court dismissed the issue as frivolous or trivial or not worthy of discussion for some other reason, answer "Issue not discussed". If the opinion considered the question but gave a "mixed" answer, supporting the respondent in part and supporting the appellant in part (or if two issues treated separately by the court both fell within the area covered by one question and the court answered one question affirmatively and one negatively), answer "Mixed answer". If the opinion either did not consider or discuss the issue at all or if the opinion indicates that this issue was not worthy of consideration by the court of appeals even though it was discussed by the lower court or was raised in one of the briefs, answer "Issue not discussed".

PER CURIAM.
On this appeal from an order of the district court denying appellant’s motion to vacate sentence, his court-appointed attorney, both in oral argument and in brief, has ably presented the contention that appellant was erroneously deprived of his rights in being permitted to defend himself without the assistance of counsel, even though he himself had requested such privilege; that defendant was erroneously convicted of violation of the Dyer Act, 18 U.S.C.A. §§ 10-2311-2313, where the only evidence of transportation consisted of proof of the sale of the stolen vehicle; that defendant should have been permitted to be present in person when his motion to set aside the judgment of conviction and sentence as to him was heard by the district court; and that conviction for the transporting in interstate commerce of a stolen automobile and the sale of the automobile knowing it to have been stolen do not permit the imposition of consecutive sentences of five years each.
None of these propositions, though well argued, is in our opinion sound. See York v. United States, 6 Cir., 299 F. 778; United States v. Spradley, D.C., 65 F. Supp. 136, opinion by District Judge Swinford, affirmed 6 Cir., 162 F.2d 203; Crawford v. United States, 6 Cir., 214 F.2d 313; to the effect that the fact that both charges relate to and grow out of one. transaction does not make a single offense where two are defined by statute.
It is well established that it is unnecessary that a defendant be present at the hearing of his motion to set aside a judgment of conviction and sentence, where no issue of fact is presented for consideration. United States v. Hayman, 342 U.S. 205, 72 S.Ct. 263, 96 L.Ed. 232. Here, we are confronted with the issue of our right to review a jury verdict determining a fact issue; and it is thoroughly established that a motion to vacate sentence is not to be employed as a substitute for appeal. Goss v. United States, 6 Cir., 179 F.2d 706.
The judgment of the district court is affirmed;- and it is so ordered.

Question: Did the court refuse to rule on the merits of the appeal because of some threshhold issue other than timeliness or frivolousness that was relevant on appeal but not at the original trial?
A. No
B. Yes
C. Mixed answer
D. Issue not discussed
Answer:

Answer: D