Court Opinion

ID: 9449648
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-04 16:17:52.750494+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:31:55.407667
License: Public Domain

KNOCH, Circuit Judge
(dissenting).
I regret that I must dissent in this case. In his brief appellant invited our attention to the recent case of W. C. Dodd v. United States of America, 9 Cir., 1963, 321 F.2d 240. W. C. Dodd asserted, as appellant here asserts, that his counsel failed to file timely notice of appeal after being instructed to do so.
The Ninth Circuit analyzed the line of cases dealing with the problems attendant on failure of counsel to file timely notice of appeal. The Court there found that these cases demonstrated the principle that not only would relief be denied where failure to appeal was sought to be excused by mere neglect of counsel, or where there had been a knowing or calculated decision not to appeal, but
“[I]n any event there would have to be the additional showing of ‘plain reversible error at the trial’ in order for relief to be granted.”
Counsel for appellant in oral argument before us observed correctly that a timely notice to appeal is not required to include an allegation of plain reversible error at the trial. Unlike appellant here, W. C. Dodd and Henry Franklin Boruff in Boruff v. United States of America, 5 Cir., 1962, 310 F.2d 918 (on which appellant also relies), both did allege reversible errors purportedly committed at the trial. The Ninth Circuit in Dodd remanded the cause to the District Court to:
“(2) Hold a hearing, make findings and determine if there was an ‘intentional relinquishment’ of petitioner’s ‘known right’ to appeal, by a ‘considered choice’ on his own part.
“(3) If there was no intentional relinquishment of petitioner’s right to appeal, then as a further part of the hearing, consider evidence, making findings and determine if petitioner suffered any prejudice in not securing a review by appeal of his trial, conviction and sentence.”
Appellant Joshua Lee Calland has not filed a timely notice of appeal for which *410allegation of plainly reversible error is, of course, not required. Nor has he asked this Court merely to take a liberal view of some document which was timely filed as an equivalent of notice of appeal. Appellant is asking this Court to accept as a notice of appeal, his petition filed more than 6 months after expiration of the 10-day period provided by statute. This represents a longer lapse of time than involved in any of the cases cited by appellant. It seems only proper for the orderly administration of justice to require something more than a bare allegation of counsel’s disregard of a promise to act on appellant’s instructions to appeal, namely: a showing of plain reversible error.
I would affirm the order of the District Court.