Court Opinion

ID: 9616475
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-22 04:47:11.861522+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:03:58.452432
License: Public Domain

Benham, Judge,
concurring in part and dissenting in part.
While I concur in Divisions 1, 2, and 3 of the majority opinion, I cannot concur in Division 4, which imposes a penalty on appellant. I support the imposition of penalties in some cases, but I do not favor such an imposition against this pro se litigant. It appears that appellant has diligently pursued his rights, but due to his unfamiliarity with the procedural aspects of the law, he filed a direct rather than an interlocutory appeal. Moreover, the basis of his appeal is not so patently frivolous, particularly from a layman’s point of view, that a penalty of this nature should be imposed against him. I am also concerned that the imposition of the penalty here will be viewed as retribution for appellant’s having accused the trial court of being partial and for having exercised his right óf self-representation. In situations such as this, our judicial system is strong enough to withstand accusations, even when unfounded, without resorting to harsh penalties.
The majority correctly quotes Justice Learned Hand in stating, “No democracy will survive if it rations justice.” However, it inappropriately applies the statement by using it as a justification for the *328imposition of penalties. In making the statement, Justice Hand wanted us to look to the substance of the legal process rather than just the form. To assure the vitality of the legal process it is not enough just to keep the courthouse doors open during business hours, we must work to make the court system “user friendly.” The founding fathers must have intended for lay persons to have access to our courts since many of the drafters of the United States Constitution were non-lawyers, and even until modern times many members of the United States Supreme Court were non-lawyers.
The crowning glory of our legal system is its accessibility, and we should be very cautious in limiting access to our courts, for to do otherwise we run the risk of rationing justice. This is a risk that I am unwilling to run. Therefore, I respectfully dissent.