Opinion ID: 2076870
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The Parties' Contentions Here

Text: Petitioner argues that a criminal defendant may not waive effectively his or her right to a jury trial after the commencement of trial. She looks to the plain language of Rule 4-246(b) that the waiver of a jury trial occur before the commencement of trial as vital to ensuring that the waiver is knowing and voluntary. She also complains that the trial court failed to inform her that a mistrial would be declared if she did not choose to waive her right to a jury trial. The State, conceding that the timing requirement of the Rule was violated on this record, argues that Boulden waived any claim that her right to jury trial was violated when the State, in open court, brought the error to her attention before the defense case began and she failed utterly to voice an objection to the process employed, even in post-verdict motions. As a result, the State urges also that we hold that the court's failure to place the waiver on the record prior to the commencement of trial was harmless because the court corrected promptly its error and the totality of the circumstances indicate that Boulden's waiver of her right to a jury trial was knowing and voluntary.