Court Opinion

ID: 9766829
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-29 05:00:10.741356+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:30:26.575941
License: Public Domain

Darrell Hickman, Justice, dissenting. I agree with everything said in the majority opinion. But the decision is wrong because of what is not said. The procedures in Arkansas for ordering transcripts in these kinds of cases are by no means uniform. In some counties, a pro se appellant, who is declared indigent, must only file a timely notice of appeal to receive a transcript at public expense. In some counties, the circuit judge informs the clerk that the appellant is indigent and, upon such notice, a record is prepared. In other counties, the circuit court does not take on this responsibility and the appellant himself must contact the court reporter. So, if you are an indigent person in some counties, you get an appeal; if, unfortunately, you are like the petitioner, you lose. Justice can never be administered that way. The result is irrational, and we have to remedy the situation. Since we cannot, and perhaps should not, tell certain counties to stop doing appellants a favor, we should simply see that appellants not so fortunate do not suffer. I would allow the record to be filed. That does not mean I alter my stand that Rule 37 should be repealed. But as long as it exists, we should prevent unfair procedural technicalities from depriving a defendant of access to the appellate court.