Court Opinion

ID: 9649428
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-23 14:53:13.650373+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:12:10.705037
License: Public Domain

CAVANAUGH, Judge,
concurring:
I concur with the majority’s analysis and agree that appellant is properly ordered discharged. I write separately because I believe that the behavior involved in this case does not rise to the level of criminal harassment but rather falls within the purview of 18 P.S. § 312, relating to de minimus infractions.1
In relevant part, the de minimus infractions statute reads as follows:
(a) General rule. — The court shall dismiss a prosecution if, having regard to the nature of the conduct charged to constitute an offense and the nature of the attendant circumstances, it finds that the conduct of the defendant:
(1) was within a customary license or tolerance, neither expressly negatived by the person whose interest was infringed nor inconsistent with the purpose of the law defining the offense;
(2) did not actually cause or threaten the harm or evil sought to be prevented by the law defining the offense or did so only to an extent too trivial to warrant the condemnation of conviction;
or
*277(3) presents such other extenuations that it cannot reasonably be regarded as envisaged by the General Assembly or other authority in forbidding the offense.
Appellant’s conduct during the 40-second whirlwind encounter and its lack of resultant bodily harm constitutes an infraction too trivial in nature to warrant the condemnation of conviction. The circumstances surrounding this incident indicate that appellant may not be held criminally culpable for complainant’s minor and temporary injuries. Appellant should not be stigmatized with a criminal conviction for actions which may be considered, if not customary, at least not wholly extraordinary during a fast dance at a tavern.

. Although appellant did not argue dismissal on this basis before the lower court, dismissal for a de minimus infraction should be granted sua sponte where the circumstances warrant. Commonwealth v. Gemelli, 326 Pa.Super. 388, 474 A.2d 294 (1984).