Court Opinion

ID: 9766218
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-29 04:37:16.13472+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:30:20.443795
License: Public Domain

*598MANDERINO, Justice
(dissenting).
I dissent because appellant was forced to trial without the representation of the attorney of his choice. The majority reasons that a person’s constitutional right to be represented by counsel of his or her choice “must be weighed against and may be reasonably restricted by ‘the state’s interest in the swift and efficient administration of justice.’ ” The majority opinion fails to consider just what “the state’s interest” in such a case really is.
The majority asserts that appellant does not have the absolute right to counsel of his choice when that choice unreasonably clogs “the machinery of justice.” I fail to see how granting appellant’s request for a continuance until his counsel of choice could be available for trial would have such an effect. Admittedly, the grant of a continuance, for whatever reason, makes more difficult the administration of the court calendar. If a person wishes to waive his or her right to a speedy trial until counsel of his choice is available to defend, the trial court should not refuse to grant a continuance unless the prosecution can establish that its case will be substantially prejudiced by the additional delay. The majority opinion assumes that the requested delay will prejudice the Commonwealth’s case. Such an assumption should not form the basis for cutting off appellant’s constitutional right to counsel of his choice. Only when the prosecution shows that its case will be prejudiced by the requested delay can the court “weigh” the state’s interest against the defendant’s right. Here the prosecution has not alleged or proved that its case would in any way be damaged by granting appellant’s request for a continuance. I therefore dissent.