Opinion ID: 164746
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Delay in Disposition Hearing

Text: On appeal, Austin requests, as a remedy, dismissal of his conviction on grounds the district court lacked authority to hold a disposition hearing beyond the twenty-day statutory time limit proscribed by 18 U.S.C. § 5037(a). Given our reversal of Austin’s conviction on insufficient evidence, the relief he seeks has been afforded on other grounds. As a consequence, it is not necessary to address this issue on appeal, other than to recognize the statute on which Austin relies, 18 U.S.C. § 5037, does not explicitly provide a remedy, including dismissal for such a delay. Given our reversal, we also do not need to perform any other legal analysis, including the balancing of any speedy trial factors considered for delays in sentencing, as articulated in Perez v. Sullivan, 793 F.2d 249, 253-54 (10th Cir. 1986), other than to recognize the district court’s reason for delay was to find a rehabilitative program as an alternative to incarceration, which was clearly -16- intended to benefit Austin and requested by his counsel. 5