Opinion ID: 2003603
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: may a court place a detainer?

Text: Under the definitions of detainer set forth in this opinion, it is clear that either the district or circuit court may file a detainer against an inmate. Although the judicial system is an independent branch of government, the courts are part of the larger criminal justice system, which includes both executive and judicial agencies. And, in fact, most intrastate detainers are placed by clerks and sheriffs without the intervention of Commonwealth's Attorneys. Our observation in that regard is not intended as criticism of Commonwealth's Attorneys, but as an acknowledgment of how the criminal justice system works in the placing of detainers. Recently, in Rosen v. Watson, [8] this Court noted that the detainer there was placed by the district court. [9] Accordingly, we hold that the Court of Appeals erred in holding that the court could not lodge a detainer against Appellant.