Court Opinion

ID: 9854942
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-09-24 06:17:18.451367+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:23:37.350501
License: Public Domain

Sears, Justice,
concurring.
Not later than 48 hours after an arrest made without a warrant, or 72 hours following an arrest with a warrant, unless bond has been set and met, “the arresting officer or the law officer having custody of the accused shall present the accused in person before a magistrate or other judicial officer for first appearance.”4 At the first appearance, the judicial officer shall (1) inform the accused of the charges; (2) in*794form the accused of his right to remain silent and that any statement he makes can be used against him; (3) determine whether counsel must be appointed and if so, ensure that appropriate procedures are followed; (4) inform the accused of his right to a pre-indictment commitment hearing; (5) determine whether probable cause existed for the arrest; (6) in felony cases, inform the accused of his rights to a grand jury indictment and a trial by jury; (7) inform the accused that if he pleads guilty, he will waive these rights; and (8) set bail where appropriate.5
Decided June 17, 1996.
Patrick John Taylor, pro se.
Jack 0. Partain, District Attorney, for appellees.
I concur with the majority that in this particular case, because Taylor was indicted and had bail set shortly after having been extradited to Georgia, there was no prosecutorial oversight in the failure to hold a first appearance hearing within 72 hours of his arrest. However, the language of Rule 26.1 is mandatory, and this Court’s ruling today should not be misconstrued to mean that under different circumstances, a failure to hold a first appearance hearing will always be harmless error so long as an accused is later indicted. In order to avoid the needless frustration of criminal prosecution, in addition to the possibility of subjecting itself to unnecessary civil litigation, the State will do well to adhere to the mandatory language of Rule 26.1.

 USCR 26.1.

 Id.