Opinion ID: 1942822
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Reviewability on Direct Appeal

Text: The State argues, preliminarily, that error in the sentencing process is not cognizable on direct appeal to the Law Court, but must be addressed to the Appellate Division of the Supreme Judicial Court pursuant to 15 M.R.S.A., §§ 2141-2144. We disagree. In State v. Carver, Me., 330 A.2d 785 (1975), we approved Professor Glassman's comment respecting the interplay between 15 M.R.S.A., §§ 2141-2144 and 4 M.R.S.A., § 57 (the statutory charter of the Supreme Judicial Court sitting as the Law Court): `The appellate review of sentence provided for by the new statute should be carefully distinguished from an ordinary appeal. In an appeal to the Supreme Judicial Court sitting as the Law Court [footnote omitted], the Court does not and may not review the sentence except to the extent that there may be involved in the appeal a claim that an illegal sentence was imposed. On the other hand, an appeal to the appellate division of the Supreme Judicial Court, pursuant to the new statute, to seek review of the sentence does not permit the appellate division to consider any alleged errors in the proceedings; the sole issue which the appellate division may consider is the propriety of the sentence imposed. ' (Emphasis added). Glassman, Maine Practice, Rules of Criminal Procedure, Commentary 40.1. Illegality in the sentencing process rendering the sentence imposed illegal may be raised on direct appeal. State v. Capitan, Me., 363 A.2d 221 (1976).