Opinion ID: 4524802
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: jurisdiction

Text: ¶7 The exercise of this court’s original jurisdiction under C.A.R. 21 is entirely discretionary, and any relief pursuant thereto is “an extraordinary remedy that is limited in both purpose and availability.” People in Interest of T.T., 2019 CO 54, ¶ 16, 442 P.3d 851, 855–56 (quotation omitted). In the past, we have seen fit to exercise jurisdiction “when an appellate remedy would be inadequate, when a party may otherwise suffer irreparable harm, [or] when a petition raises issues of significant public importance that we have not yet considered.” People v. Kilgore, 2020 CO 6, ¶ 8, 455 P.3d 746, 748 (internal citations and quotations omitted). Further, we have opted to grant relief when “a trial court acts in excess of its jurisdiction or without jurisdiction.” Chessin v. Office of Att’y Reg. Counsel, 2020 CO 9, ¶ 8, 458 P.3d 888, 890 (quotation omitted). 5 ¶8 In view of these principles, relief under C.A.R. 21 is appropriate for at least two reasons. First, as we have previously recognized, “[r]elief in the nature of prohibition under C.A.R. 21 is an appropriate remedy when a district court is proceeding without jurisdiction to try a defendant in violation of his right to a speedy trial.” Marquez v. Dist. Court, 613 P.2d 1302, 1304 (Colo. 1980). In this case, the district court would be proceeding without jurisdiction if it were to try DeGreat in violation of his rights under Colorado’s speedy trial statute, § 18-1-405, C.R.S. (2019), and the rules of this court, Crim. P. 48. See Hampton v. Dist. Court, 605 P.2d 54, 56 (Colo. 1980). ¶9 And second, in the absence of our exercise of original jurisdiction, DeGreat would be entirely without an adequate appellate remedy. Section 18-1-405 requires dismissal with prejudice if a defendant’s statutory speedy trial right is violated. Thus, even a successful appeal in DeGreat’s case would be a pyrrhic victory because DeGreat would first be subjected to the very trial he is entitled by statute to avoid. This statutory right not to be tried all but requires DeGreat to avail himself of an “extraordinary remedy” outside of the normal appellate process. ¶10 Based on the foregoing, we conclude that our exercise of jurisdiction over this case pursuant to C.A.R. 21 is warranted. 6