Opinion ID: 2625842
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: Motion to Dismiss for Timeliness

Text: ¶ 59 On January 19, 2000, Blakley filed a motion to dismiss for a violation of Arizona Rules of Criminal Procedure, Rule 8.2(b) setting forth time constraints as to when a defendant shall be brought to trial. Rule 8.2(b) states: Every person held in custody in this state on a criminal charge shall be tried by the court having jurisdiction of the offense within 120 days from the date of the person's initial appearance ... or within 90 days from the date of the person's arraignment before the trial court, whichever is the lesser. A hearing was held on February 1. The court calculated the elapsed time as only 63 days from arraignment until the February 8 trial date and denied the motion. ¶ 60 The defendant argues that the time periods between July 21, 1998 and September 21, 1998, and between September 1, 1999 and December 6, 1999, were not excludable under Rule 8.4. The state contends that Blakley should have filed a special action earlier and, therefore, that this court should not reach the merits. ¶ 61 In Stone v. Wren, 22 Ariz.App. 165, 525 P.2d 296 (1974), a special action petition was brought to review denial of a motion to dismiss for violation of the right to a speedy trial. Nothing in that case, however, requires that such an issue be brought on a special action petition rather than on direct appeal. In State v. Schaaf, 169 Ariz. 323, 327-28, 819 P.2d 909, 913-14 (1991), a direct appeal of a capital case, this court properly analyzed the defendant's claimed violations of Rule 8. ¶ 62 Blakley was arraigned on August 10, 1998, and his first trial date was September 21, 1998. This is includable time. September 21, 1998 through September 20, 1999 was time excluded because of defendant's motions to continue and pretrial motions. On September 20, 1999, a status conference was held to determine a firm trial date. Defense counsel requested and obtained a date in December. Therefore, the time from September 20, 1999 to December 7, 1999 was excludable. The state then moved to continue trial for twenty-one days from December 7, 1999. That time was includable. However, because the defense said it could not secure witnesses, trial was continued until February 8, 2000. We agree with the trial court that the total time for Rule 8 purposes was 63 days. Therefore, Rule 8 was not violated and the motion to dismiss was properly denied.