Opinion ID: 1858055
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Perceived Trend Towards an Interested Adult Standard

Text: In Dino, the majority noted a growing number of courts moving towards an interested adult standard, which was the source of the Dino requirements. 359 So.2d at 593. The decision referred to a holding by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court in Commonwealth v. Smith, 472 Pa. 492, 372 A.2d 797 (1977) that the impediment of immaturity may only be overcome where the record establishes that the youth had access to the advice of an attorney, parent or other interested adult. 359 So.2d at 593. During the two decades since Dino was decided, Pennsylvania has gone full circle and returned to the totality of the circumstances standard. The court first shifted from a per se rule to a rebuttable presumption, Commonwealth v. Christmas, 502 Pa. 218, 465 A.2d 989 (1983), and then returned to a totality of the circumstances standard, Commonwealth v. Williams, 504 Pa. 511, 475 A.2d 1283 (1984), reasoning: The per se ... rule, in discarding the totality of circumstances test, negated the relevance of all those factors which should be and must be considered in deciding whether a confession was knowingly and voluntarily given. Instead, a prophylactic principle was adopted and applied which shunned the real issue of the voluntariness of a confession. . . . . . In overruling [the per se rule], we recognized the lack of wisdom in a rule which is overly paternalistic, unnecessarily protective and sacrifices too much of the interests of justice.... . . . . . We now reject the application of a rebuttable presumption that a juvenile is incompetent to waive his constitutional rights without first having an opportunity to consult with an interested and informed adult.... The requirements of due process are satisfied, and the protection against the use of involuntary confessions which law and reason demand is met by application of the totality of circumstances analysis to all questions involving the waiver of rights and the voluntariness of confessions made by juveniles. All of the attending facts and circumstances must be considered and weighed in determining whether a juvenile's confession was knowingly and freely given. Among those factors are the juvenile's youth, experience, comprehension, and the presence or absence of an interested adult. 475 A.2d at 1287-88. Hence, the principal authority on which the majority relied in Dino has now been overruled.