Court Opinion

ID: 9699412
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-25 20:22:56.563374+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:20:49.948295
License: Public Domain

MANDERINO, Justice,
dissenting.
I agree with the statement of the majority that this Court may, in certain situations, raise matters sua sponte. See majority opinion p. 1364, footnote 4. Sua sponte consideration of issues, however, is fraught with dangers, and this case illustrates what can happen when we address issues without having the benefit of counsel’s advocacy on the specific issue considered.
It appears from the record, see majority opinion, p. 1363, footnote 2, that the jury in the instant case was selected before a different judge than the one scheduled to try the case. No explanation is given us to why this procedure was employed.
What is apparent, however, is that counsel might have reasonably believed that his Rule 1100 motion could be made after voir dire because the voir dire was not conducted by the trial judge. I would therefore order that the case be set for reargument to consider the issue of whether, under the facts of this case, trial had actually commenced for Rule 1100 purposes.