Opinion ID: 1384870
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: the appealability of the granting of a danc plea.

Text: State initially maintains that it lacks the statutory authority to appeal the granting of a DANC plea, so a writ of mandamus and/or prohibition under HRS § 602-5(4) (1985) [1] is the only available remedy. Aton is in apparent agreement with this proposition. A writ of prohibition is an extraordinary remedy which may not be utilized as a substitute for an appeal. Gannett Pacific Corp. v. Richardson, 59 Haw. 224, 580 P.2d 49 (1978). Similarly, a writ of mandamus will not issue unless the petitioner demonstrates 1) a clear and indisputable right to relief; and 2) a lack of other means to adequately redress the wrong or to obtain the requested action. State ex rel. Marsland v. Shintaku, 64 Haw. 307, 640 P.2d 289 (1982) (per curiam). We begin our analysis of this question by noting that the right of appeal in a criminal case is purely statutory and exists only when given by some constitutional or statutory provision. State v. Swafford, 68 Haw. ___, 729 P.2d 385 (1986); State v. Ferreira, 68 Haw. ___, 709 P.2d 607 (1985). State may accordingly only appeal in those limited instances established by HRS § 641-13 (1985). This statute reads: By State in criminal cases. An appeal may be taken by and on behalf of the State from the district or circuit courts to the supreme court, subject to chapter 602, in all criminal cases, in the following instances: (1) From an order or judgment quashing, setting aside, or sustaining a motion to dismiss, any indictment or information or any count thereof; (2) From an order or judgment, sustaining a special plea in bar, or dismissing the case where the defendant has not been put in jeopardy; (3) From an order granting a new trial; (4) From an order arresting judgment; (5) From a ruling on a question of law adverse to the State where the defendant was convicted and appeals from the judgment; (6) From the sentence, on the ground that it is illegal; (7) From a pretrial order granting a motion for the suppression of evidence, including a confession or admission, or the return of property in which case the intermediate appellate court or the supreme court, as the case may be, shall give priority to such an appeal and the order shall be stayed pending the outcome of the appeal; (8) From an order denying a request by the State for protective order for nondisclosure of witness for their personal safety under Rule 16(e)(4) of the Hawaii Rules of Penal Procedure, in which case the intermediate appellate court or the supreme court, as the case may be, shall give priority to such appeal and the order shall be stayed pending outcome of such appeal; (9) From a judgment of acquittal following a jury verdict of guilty. A DANC plea is not a conviction nor is it a sentence. See State v. Ritte, 68 Haw. ___, 710 P.2d 1197 (1985); HRS § 853-1 (1985). The granting of a DANC plea, moreover, is not listed as an appealable decision by HRS § 641-13. State therefore lacks the authority to appeal the granting of a DANC plea, and we thus adopt the reasoning of the Hawaii Intermediate Court of Appeals to that effect in State v. Johnson, 5 Haw. App. 357, 692 P.2d 1171 (1984). See State v. Bikle, 60 Haw. 576, 592 P.2d 832 (1979); see also State v. Miura, 6 Haw. App. ___, 730 P.2d 917 (1986). In State v. Keahi, 66 Haw. 364, 662 P.2d 212 (1983), and State v. Brown, 1 Haw. App. 602, 623 P.2d 892 (1981) (per curiam), State appealed from a deferred acceptance of guilty (hereinafter DAG) plea and a DANC plea, respectively. No party, though, raised the jurisdictional issue then. We now hold that HRS § 641-13 does not confer on State the authority to appeal from the granting of DAG pleas or DANC pleas. See State v. Brandimart, 68 Haw. ___, 720 P.2d 1009 (1986) (overruling the State v. Ortiz, 4 Haw. App. 143, 662 P.2d 517 (1983), aff'd on other grounds, 67 Haw. 181, 683 P.2d 822 (1984), holding which recognized the tolling effect of a motion for reconsideration in a criminal case). Because State cannot appeal the granting of a DANC plea and possesses no other adequate legal remedy, this case may be decided pursuant to HRS § 602-5(4). See State ex rel. Marsland v. Town, 66 Haw. 516, 668 P.2d 25 (1983).