Opinion ID: 2583967
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Propriety of the Writ of Certiorari

Text: {8} Initially, we must resolve an issue raised by the State in its answer brief, specifically whether Defendant properly invoked the appellate jurisdiction of this Court. The State, citing Rule 12-502(C)(4) NMRA 2003 and NMSA 1978, § 34-5-14 (1972), argues we should quash the writ of certiorari because Defendant failed to make a jurisdictional claim in his brief in chief. We disagree. {9} Neither the rule nor the statute cited by the State would require Defendant to establish the propriety of the writ of certiorari in his brief in chief. Rather, Rule 12-502 governs petitions for writs of certiorari, and it requires that the petition allege one of four grounds for granting the writ. See Rule 12-502(C)(4)(a)-(d). On the other hand, Rule 12-213(A) NMRA 2003, which governs the contents of briefs in chief, does not require a party to restate the grounds for granting the writ of certiorari. {10} Defendant alleged in his petition for a writ of certiorari that the State violated his rights as provided under the Fifth, Sixth and Fourteenth Amendments to the United States Constitution, and Article II, Section 14 of the New Mexico Constitution. See Rule 12-502(C)(4)(c). Thus, we have jurisdiction to review Defendant's case by writ of certiorari because it involves a significant question of law under the constitution of New Mexico or the United States. Section 34-5-14(B)(3); State v. Ashley, 1997-NMSC-049, ¶ 10, 124 N.M. 1, 946 P.2d 205 (noting this Court's certiorari power to address a violation of a defendant's constitutional right to a fair trial). Under Rule 12-502(D), the State-if it felt that the grounds for granting the petition were inadequate-was permitted to file a response within ten days of service of the petition, or within ten days of the granting of the petition. The State filed no such response in this case. Nothing in the Rules of Appellate Procedure would prevent the State from arguing in its answer brief that we should quash the writ, and indeed in some cases the jurisdictional argument may only become apparent during the course of briefing. Nonetheless, we would encourage parties whenever possible to present those arguments in a response to the petition itself, as provided by Rule 12-502(D), rather than in the course of briefing the merits of the appeal.