Court Opinion

ID: 9517482
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-07 00:18:20.533686+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:53:59.999316
License: Public Domain

*591WILLIAM G. CALLOW, J.
(concurring). The dissent demonstrates either a lack of understanding or an unwillingness to recognize the problems facing the trial judiciary in moving its calendar. In counties throughout the state of Wisconsin, there are tremendous backlogs of cases. In order to expedite the resolution of these controversies, circuit court judges often schedule two or more trials each day. This system maximizes judicial resources by allowing a judge to hear a second case almost immediately after disposing of the first. Strict adherence to the trial schedule is necessary to ensure that all legal controversies are resolved as quickly as possible. A deviation should be allowed only for a good cause.
Although the dissent does not assert that Pohlham-mer’s absence was for a good cause, it nevertheless faults the trial court for proceeding with the case as scheduled rather than granting defense counsel a continuance. The dissenter’s position appears to be that, simply because a seemingly valid defense was pled, Pohlhammer’s unexplained absence should have been excused and a continuance granted. No concern was expressed for the work load of the circuit court or the costs and inconvenience a delay would impose upon Robertson-Ryan and subsequent litigants. I believe the dissent espouses unsound policy by ignoring these concerns and focusing solely upon the errant defendant’s interests. A proper balance must be struck among all these factors. The trial judge did not abuse his discretion in denying the continuance.
I am authorized to state that Justices Donald W. Steinmetz and Louis J. Ceci join in this concurring opinion.