Court Opinion

ID: 9711062
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 04:23:51.452998+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:23:01.991879
License: Public Domain

ROBERTS, Justice,
concurring.
I agree with the majority that because appellant did not object to the trial court’s procedure for reconstructing the transcript, he may not on appeal raise as error the trial court’s alleged failure to comply with Pa.R.A.P. 1923. Nonetheless, I think it worthwhile to point out that an appellant has a constitutional right to a transcript or an equivalent “picture” of the proceedings. Commonwealth v. Fields, 478 Pa. 479, 387 A.2d 83 (1978); Commonwealth v. Shields, 477 Pa. 105, 383 A.2d 844 (1978); Commonwealth v. Goldsmith, 452 Pa. 22, 304 A.2d 478 (1973); Commonwealth v. Norman, 447 Pa. 515, 291 A.2d 112 (1972); Commonwealth v. DeSimone, 447 Pa. 380, 290 A.2d 93 (1972); Commonwealth v. Anderson, 441 Pa. 483, 272 A.2d 877 (1971). Thus, if Pa.R.A.P. 1923 does not provide all the relief the constitution grants, an appellant asserting this constitutional right need neither invoke the Rule nor allege any failure to comply with it. Cf. Brady v. Maryland, 373 U.S. 83, 83 S.Ct. 1194, 10 L.Ed.2d 215 (1963) (defendant has constitutional right to exculpatory material in possession of prosecution, regardless of restrictions created by rules of procedure). Appellant, however, has not asserted any violation of his constitutional right to a transcript of the proceedings. I therefore concur in the result.