Court Opinion

ID: 9634856
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-22 13:26:27.722568+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:09:11.709376
License: Public Domain

WIEAND, Judge,
concurring:
I agree that the first and third issues raised by appellant were waived when appellant failed to include them in his post-trial motions.1 I cannot agree, however, that these issues were waived merely because appellant’s post-trial motions were filed thirteen days after the verdict had been entered. In my judgment, counsel’s untimeliness should be overlooked where, as here, the trial court has allowed the same and has considered the issues raised therein as though the motions had been timely filed and where, as here, our ability to conduct a meaningful review has not been impaired in any way.
*231I would also find that the second issue raised by appellant was waived because it was not included in appellant’s motion to modify sentence. In my judgment, issues concerning merger of convictions for purposes of sentencing do no call into question the legality of the sentence and, therefore, are waived if not included in a motion to modify sentence. See: Commonwealth v. Campbell, 351 Pa.Super. 56, 505 A.2d 262 (1986) (Wieand, J., concurring).

. Appellant did allege in post-trial motions that the evidence was insufficient to sustain the conviction of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse because penetration had not been proved. However, on appeal, he has abandoned this issue and instead argues only that the evidence was insufficient in light of the victim’s inability to testify as to the exact date of the incident and the trial court’s refusal to permit appellant to prove alibi. Because this issue was not argued before the trial court, I agree that it was waived.