Court Opinion

ID: 9702931
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-25 23:32:50.953719+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:21:43.780523
License: Public Domain

BECK, Judge,
concurring:
I concur in the opinion and judgment of Rowley, J., in this case. I also believe that this court should call attention to the failure of appellant’s counsel to submit a brief properly “referring to anything in the record that might arguably support the appeal.” Anders v. California, 386 U.S. 738, 87 S.Ct. 1396, 18 L.Ed.2d 493 (1967); Commonwealth v. Oliver, 479 Pa. 147, 387 A.2d 1266 (1978). Counsel’s “An-*80ders brief” contains little advocacy on his client’s behalf; it primarily argues that there is no relief available to appellant by raising potential issues and finding them meritless. Pennsylvania courts “have continually condemned this kind of amicus curiae brief.” Commonwealth v. Brockington, 268 Pa.Super. 54, 407 A.2d 433 (1979). Furthermore, counsel included his request to withdraw in the brief, rather than in a separate document as required by Brockington.
By remanding for an evidentiary hearing, the court is not drawing a conclusion as to whether or not this appeal is “wholly frivolous,” as that term is defined in Commonwealth v. McClendon, 495 Pa. 467, 434 A.2d 1185 (1981). Therefore, counsel is required to submit an advocate’s brief and petitions to withdraw should be denied. Commonwealth v. Dabrowski, 296 Pa.Super. 515, 442 A.2d 1170 (1982).