Court Opinion

ID: 9543753
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-07 16:48:55.251521+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T15:11:07.638955
License: Public Domain

SHERTZ, Judge,
dissenting:
The sole issue addressed by the majority is whether this Court will consider an Appellant’s claim of ineffective assistance of trial counsel, raised for the first time in a pro se brief on direct appeal, where Appellant is represented on appeal by counsel other than trial counsel. I conclude that under such circumstances Appellant has waived his right to raise the issue.
The standard for determining whether the issue of ineffective assistance of counsel is properly preserved for appeal *34was recently reiterated in Commonwealth v. Webster, 490 Pa. 322, 324-325, 416 A.2d 491, 492 (1981).
Issues not raised in postverdict motions. will not be considered on appeal. Commonwealth v. Blair, 460 Pa. 31, 331 A.2d 213 (1975). An exception exists, however, when ineffective assistance of prior counsel is raised. In such a case, ineffectiveness of prior counsel must be raised at the earliest stage in the proceedings at which counsel whose ineffectiveness is being challenged no longer represents appellant. Commonwealth v. Fox, 476 Pa. 475, 383 A.2d 199 (1978); Commonwealth v. Triplett, 476 Pa. 83, 381 A.2d 877 (1977); Commonwealth v. Dancer, 460 Pa. 95, 331 A.2d 435 (1975).
In the instant case, Appellant is represented on appeal by counsel different from trial counsel. Therefore, in order to preserve the issue of ineffective trial counsel, it was necessary for appellate counsel to raise it on direct appeal. Although appellate counsel failed to do so, Appellant attempts to do so by way of a pro se brief.
When an appellant raising ineffectiveness of appointed trial counsel is represented on appeal by the same counsel, he is entitled to a remand for appointment of new counsel not associated with trial counsel. In such circumstances it cannot be assumed that appellate counsel will provide the zealous advocacy to which an appellant is entitled. Commonwealth v. Bachert, 271 Pa.Super.Ct. 72, 412 A.2d 580 (1980). In Bachert, appellant’s trial counsel filed post verdict motions and an appeal but failed to raise ineffectiveness of counsel as an issue. Appellant, still represented by trial counsel at the appeal stage, raised the issue of ineffective assistance of counsel in a pro se brief. Under those circumstances, following Commonwealth v. Gardner, 480 Pa. 7, 389 A.2d 58 (1978), this Court permitted Appellant to raise the ineffectiveness issue for the first time by way of a pro se brief and remanded for appointment of counsel to assist Appellant with his claims of ineffective assistance of former counsel. Id., 271 Pa.Super.Ct. at 84, 412 A.2d at 586.
*35Here Appellant is not represented by trial counsel. This appeal was filed by new counsel, appointed from the public defender’s office, who submitted an appellate brief on Appellant’s behalf. There is no basis on the record for concluding that appeal counsel did not provide zealous advocacy for Appellant’s cause. Furthermore, Appellant, obviously experienced at challenging the competency of counsel, does not contend that appellate counsel was ineffective for failing to raise the issue of ineffective assistance of trial counsel, nor has Appellant requested that appellate counsel be dismissed.1 There is, therefore, no need, as there was in Bachert, for a remand to determine whether Appellant desires to proceed through counsel or on his own.
In this case, the time for raising the issue of ineffective assistance of counsel was when appellate counsel filed his brief with this Court. Commownealth v. Blackburn, 272 Pa.Super.Ct. 1, 414 A.2d 638 (1980), is an analogous case. In Blackburn this Court determined that the issue of ineffectiveness of trial counsel was deemed waived where it was raised for the first time by way of a pro se motion on appeal, where Appellant was represented by new counsel on appeal.2
Accordingly, I would not remand to the court below to determine whether Appellant wants to act solely on his own behalf, or through counsel, in his appeal. Rather, I would reach the merits of the issues raised in the appellate brief filed by Appellant’s counsel.

. Appellant’s pro se brief contends that he was denied effective assistance of trial counsel because the trial court denied his motions to dismiss retained counsel and for a continuance to retain new counsel. The basis for these motions was that he had no confidence in trial counsel’s handling of the case.

. In Blackburn, Appellant’s pro se motion claimed ineffectiveness of both trial counsel and appellate counsel. This Court reviewed Appellant’s pro se brief only insofar as it alleged ineffectiveness of appellate counsel and found it to be without merit.