Court Opinion

ID: 9750077
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-28 14:17:06.477431+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:26:02.428714
License: Public Domain

Dissenting Opinion by
Mr. Justice Manderino :
I disagree with the adoption of the four-month rule. If cireumstances justifying the denial of bail are present in a given case, bail may be denied at any time— or granted at any time—prior to a final decision.
The purpose of bail is to insure the availability of the defendant. Under the Pennsylvania Constitution different classes or status classifications as to bail do not exist. Section 14 of the Declaration of Rights *519states that all prisoners shall be bailable by sufficient sureties. No one—before trial, during the trial, after trial, or pending a direct appeal (which is a constitutional right under Article Y, Section 9 of the Pennsylvania Constitution) has an unconditional right to bail. Neither should any prisoner, at any time before a final decision, be denied bail without the application of non-arbitrary consistent standards.