Opinion ID: 687685
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Dismissal of Original Complaint Without Prejudice

Text: 13 Pena-Carrillo's first argument is that the district court erred in failing to provide him with a hearing and to make the necessary findings on the question whether the original complaint, filed on March 17, 1993, should have been dismissed with prejudice rather than without prejudice. Because no hearing was conducted on this question, he argues, the subsequent indictment should have been dismissed. We conclude that the first complaint was properly dismissed without prejudice and, therefore, that the district court properly refused to dismiss the subsequent indictment. 14 The district court's denial of a motion to dismiss for noncompliance with the Speedy Trial Act is reviewed de novo. United States v. White, 864 F.2d 660, 661 (9th Cir.1988). The Speedy Trial Act requires that federal authorities indict and bring to trial incarcerated defendants within a specified period of time. In this case, the Act requires the Government to return an indictment within 30 days of arrest. 18 U.S.C. Sec. 3161(b). 1 If it fails to do so, the district court must dismiss the complaint. 18 U.S.C. Sec. 3162(a)(1); see United States v. Pollock, 726 F.2d 1456, 1462 (9th Cir.1984) (remedy of dismissal of complaint is mandatory when the government fails to indict within the specified time period). In determining whether to dismiss with prejudice or without prejudice, the court must consider three factors:  the seriousness of the offense; the facts and circumstances of the case which led to the dismissal; and the impact of a reprosecution on the administration of this chapter and on the administration of justice. 18 U.S.C. Sec. 3162(a)(1). 15 When making the determination whether a complaint should be dismissed with prejudice or without prejudice, the district court must conduct a hearing on notice, make factual findings, and apply these three factors. In United States v. Taylor, 487 U.S. 326, 108 S.Ct. 2413, 101 L.Ed.2d 297 (1988), the Supreme Court held that a district court abused its discretion when it dismissed with prejudice under the Speedy Trial Act, without explicitly applying the three factors prescribed by the statute. Taylor applies equally where the lower court dismisses without prejudice. The district court must make specific factual findings and apply the factors stated in the Speedy Trial Act before dismissing without prejudice. United States v. White, 864 F.2d 660, 661 (9th Cir.1988). In United States v. Delgado-Miranda, 951 F.2d 1063 (9th Cir.1991), we further held that, under the Speedy Trial Act, the district court must give the defendant adequate notice of a hearing and afford the defendant an opportunity to be heard prior to dismissal without prejudice. Id. at 1064. 16 Here, when the original indictment was dismissed on April 19, 1993, Magistrate-Judge Coffin did not afford Pena-Carrillo the opportunity to be heard on the question whether his original complaint should have been dismissed without prejudice, as required by Delgado-Miranda. However, the district court conducted a hearing on June 7, 1993, concerning Pena-Carrillo's motion to dismiss for unnecessary post-arrest delay, and an evidentiary hearing on June 14, 1993, to determine whether Pena-Carrillo was detained because of collusion or ruse between the INS and the U.S. Attorney's Office. Pena-Carrillo had the opportunity to argue that the original complaint should have been dismissed with prejudice at these hearings. 17 Although the district court failed to make factual findings on the question of prejudice, as White requires, the record here is complete and allows us to make the necessary findings. Remand would be merely pro forma, and would serve no useful purpose. 18 Applying the three statutory factors, we conclude that the first complaint was correctly dismissed without prejudice. The first factor is the seriousness of the offense. Illegal reentry after felony conviction is a moderately serious offense. The second factor is the facts and circumstances leading to dismissal. Here, there is no evidence of purposeful wrongdoing on the part of the prosecutor. The failure to secure an indictment within 30 days was apparently inadvertent, and the U.S. Attorney's Office attempted to rectify this error by indicting Pena-Carrillo as soon as possible thereafter. The third and final factor is the impact of reprosecution on the administration of the Speedy Trial Act and the administration of justice. The purpose of deterring prosecutorial misconduct and delay would be little served by barring reprosecution in this case. Taking all three factors into account, we conclude that the district court correctly dismissed the original complaint without prejudice.