Court Opinion

ID: 9508784
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-06 21:37:49.238789+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:07:38.616771
License: Public Domain

JUSTICE SHEEHY,
concurring:
The record fails to show what influence, if any, the ex parte communication before the November 21 hearing of Gowen had on the district judge. For that reason, I agree with the Opinion.
I suppose in this work-a-day world of handling and sentencing convicted criminals, out-of-court contacts between judges and their probation officers are bound to occur. When the appearance arises, as in this case, that such a contact occurred which may have swayed the Court to change its mind, the gloss of fairness in the system, as perceived by the defendant, dissipates. I suggest to all of the judiciary that pre-sentence reports in writing, with access thereto for all counsel, without oral amplification except in open court, is by far the better way to proceed.