Court Opinion

ID: 9638700
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-22 15:51:17.650925+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:10:09.059303
License: Public Domain

John I. Purtte, Justice. I reluctantly dissent in this case because I know the trial court was acting in the utmost good faith. However, it is my opinion that the fact that Debra Ray was a vital witness to the appellant and was confined to the hospital was sufficient ground to require a continuance. I am also not convinced that a reasonable effort was made to serve the subpoena on Mrs. McCornell. It is true the subpoena reflects the sheriff made one attempt to serve Mrs. McCornell at her home but was unable to contact her. It is equally clear that an assistant to appellant’s attorney had no trouble in locating Mrs. McCornell at her home on that same date. I have no sympathy for the appellant’s apparent lack of diligence in failing to timely engage the services of an attorney to represent him in this matter. However, it is obvious this attorney did not have sufficient time to properly prepare a defense for a matter so important and complicated. I feel the court should have granted a continuance of at least a few days in order to allow the attorney to better prepare himself for this trial, particularly since no prejudice would have resulted.