Court Opinion

ID: 9852701
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-09-24 05:35:09.21454+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:22:32.626127
License: Public Domain

Barrow, J.,
concurring.
Although I concur with the majority opinion, I write separately to explain why, in my opinion, the contemporaneous objection rule does not bar a reversal in this appeal. By writing separately, I seek to express those principles that underlie my decision and urge the uniform application of these principles to like cases.
The contemporaneous objection rule embodied in Rule 5A:18 is not without exception. Even where an objection is not stated, an error may be the basis for reversal (1) “for good cause shown,” or (2) “to enable the Court of Appeals to attain the ends of justice.” Rule 5A:18. In addition, where “a party has no opportunity to object to a ruling or order at the time it is made,” the party’s failure to object shall not prejudice him or her on appeal. Code § 8.01-384(A). Thus, three reasons may exist for addressing an assertion of error on appeal, even if a timely objection is not made at trial.
*996“[G]ood cause” relates to the reason why an objection was not stated at the time of the ruling. See Murray v. Carrier, All U.S. 478, 488-89 (1986); Townes v. Commonwealth, 234 Va. 307, 319, 362 S.E.2d 650, 656-57 (1987), cert. denied, 485 U.S. 971 (1988) (pro se representation is not good cause for failing to object); Snurkowski v. Commonwealth, 2 Va. App. 532, 536, 348 S.E.2d 1, 3 (1986) (futility of an objection is not good cause for failing to object). Similarly, the lack of an “opportunity to object” also relates to the reason why an objection was not made at the time of the ruling. Jones v. Commonwealth, 194 Va. 273, 280, 72 S.E.2d 693, 697 (1952) (counsel “taken by surprise” by trial court’s response to question from jury); Mason v. Commonwealth, 1 Va. App. 339, 346, 373 S.E.2d 603, 606 (1988) (counsel “taken by surprise” at trial court’s instruction to the jury). Thus, the statutory exception is subsumed under the “good cause” exception because both relate to the reason why an objection was not timely made.
The “ends of justice” exception, on the other hand, addresses the effect of the error, not the reason for the failure to object to the error. The purpose underlying the contemporaneous objection rule is helpful in understanding the “ends of justice” exception.
The rule serves “to avoid unnecessary appeals, reversals and mistrials by allowing the trial judge to intelligently consider an issue and, if necessary, to take corrective action.” Campbell v. Commonwealth, 12 Va. App. 476, 480, 405 S.E.2d 1, 2 (1991) (en banc). In some instances, this goal is already assured by a party’s incentive to object to an error in order to increase the opportunity for a favorable disposition and, also, because of the party’s own desire to avoid a retrial and its accompanying expense and anxiety. Thus, need for applying the rule is greater where a party’s incentive to object is not present.
For example, little incentive exists for a defendant to complain at trial about the legal insufficiency of the case presented against the defendant. If the case is legally insufficient and the verdict of the trier of fact is for the defendant, all is well. If, on the other hand, the verdict is against the defendant, the defendant can appeal and, but for the contemporaneous objection rule, obtain reversal because of the legal insufficiency of the action. Upon reversal, the cause will be dismissed without the possibility of a retrial. Thus, except for the contemporaneous objection rule, the only in*997centive prompting a defendant to challenge the sufficiency of the evidence at trial is the cost and delay of an appeal. In fact, the threat that the trial court might allow the Commonwealth to reopen its case in response to such a challenge would be a disincentive to raise the issue at trial, absent the contemporaneous objection rule. Thus, only when the record affirmatively shows that a criminal defendant “has been convicted of a crime of which under the evidence he could not properly be found guilty,” does the “ends of justice” exception permit an appellate court to review the legal sufficiency of the evidence underlying the conviction where the issue was not raised at trial. Ball v. Commonwealth, 221 Va. 754, 758-59, 273 S.E.2d 790, 793 (1981); see also Momee v. Commonwealth, 4 Va. App. 433, 436, 357 S.E.2d 742, 744 (1987).
However, the “ends of justice” exception is not always so restrictively applied. See Cooper v. Commonwealth, 205 Va. 883, 889, 140 S.E.2d 688, 692-93 (1965) (admission without objection of unconstitutionally obtained confession); Glasgow v. Peatross, 201 Va. 43, 47, 109 S.E.2d 135, 138 (1959) (“confusing and erroneous” instruction given without objection); Brown v. Commonwealth, 8 Va. App. 126, 132, 380 S.E.2d 8, 11 (1989) (defendant’s sentence based on pre-sentence report describing a different burglary from that for which he was convicted). Where a party’s desire for a favorable outcome and desire to avoid a retrial act as incentives for the party to object to adverse rulings, the need for strict adherence to the contemporaneous objection rule, although not eliminated, is less compelling. In those instances, an error may be the basis for reversal, when not objected to, if it is “clear, substantial and material.” Brown, 8 Va. App. at 132, 380 S.E.2d at 11. To allow an error meeting those criteria “to pass uncorrected would seriously undermine the integrity of our judicial system.” Id. at 133, 380 S.E.2d at 11.
To be “clear” the error must be apparent under existing statutory or case law without the necessity of further judicial interpretation and must not have been acquiesced in, either expressly or impliedly, by the complaining party. See Cooper, 205 Va. at 889, 140 S.E.2d at 692-93. A trial judge may reasonably rely on the parties to bring to the trial judge’s attention unresolved questions of law and may assume that one who does not object to certain rulings, for example the introduction of patently inadmissible evi*998dence, acquiesces in the rulings for his or her own benefit.
To be “substantial” the error must affect an essential element of the trial. See Glasgow, 201 Va. at 47, 109 S.E.2d at 138. It must affect a part of the trial without which the trial could not have properly been conducted.
Finally, to be “material” the error must be important enough to affect the outcome of the trial. Otherwise, the error would be harmless. See Lavinder v. Commonwealth, 12 Va. App. 1003, 1005, 407 S.E.2d 910, 911 (1991) (en banc).
In this case, because the error was in the content of an instruction given, the effect of a reversal is not a dismissal but a remand for a new trial. The defendant, consequently, had an incentive to object to the error, as he did (albeit on other grounds), without being prompted by the contemporaneous objection rule. Therefore, the “ends of justice” exception applies to this error if it is “clear, substantial and material.”
The error in this case was “clear.” It is undisputed that the instruction complained of on appeal allowed the jury to find the defendant guilty if it found that his action was prejudicial to a governmental unit or tended to impair a governmental function without finding that he did so with an intent to defraud, an element of the crime with which he was charged. The instruction was contrary to existing law. See Hanbury v. Commonwealth, 203 Va. 182, 187, 122 S.E.2d 911, 914-15 (1961). The defendant objected to the instruction at trial, although on different grounds; he did not acquiesce, even impliedly, in the instruction.
The error was “substantial” in that it affected an essential element of the trial — the instructions to the jury on the elements of the crime charged. Without being told what the elements of the crime were, the jury could not have properly decided the case.
Finally, it was “material.” If the jury followed the instruction, as we must assume it did, it could have found the defendant guilty without having found that he committed the crime. The instruction did not conflict with a correct instruction that might have caused the jury to ignore it. It was, instead, an incorrect attempt to further define the element of intent required. Thus, the jury had no reason to question its applicability.
*999For these reasons, I join in the majority’s opinion and its decision to reverse the defendant’s conviction and remand the proceeding for a new trial.