Court Opinion

ID: 9588627
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-21 23:36:31.829636+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:00:59.743826
License: Public Domain

Benham, Judge,
concurring specially.
I agree with the majority that the trial court was correct in denying appellant’s motion for discharge and acquittal, and write separately to set forth the means by which I reached that conclusion.
During the hearing on appellant’s motion, the Clerk of the Superior Court of Greene County testified that the court had four terms of court, beginning on the fourth Monday of the months of January, April, August, and November. See also OCGA § 15-6-3 (28) (B). In a supplemental statement, the clerk certified that juries were impaneled on the following dates: October 3, 1988; November 28, 1988; and January 23, 1989. Appellant filed his demand for speedy trial under OCGA § 17-7-170 (b) on October 25, 1988, in the August term of court. According to the clerk’s certificate, no jury was impaneled in the August term subsequent to appellant’s demand. “[I]n computing the time allowed by the two-term requirement, terms or remainders of terms during which no jury is impaneled are not counted.” Kaysen v. State, 191 Ga. App. 734, 735 (382 SE2d 737) (1989). See also Lusher v. State, 192 Ga. App. 606 (_ SE2d _) (1989). Thus, the provisions of OCGA § 17-7-170 were not triggered until the November term because no jury was impaneled to try appellant during that portion of the August term that followed his demand. Id. Therefore, the State had to try appellant in the November 1988 term or the January 1989 term. Appellant’s motion for discharge and acquittal, made on the first day of the January 1989 term, was premature and the trial court correctly denied the motion.
I am authorized to state that Presiding Judge Deen joins in this special concurrence.