Court Opinion

ID: 9677159
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-24 05:45:02.946192+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:16:54.284544
License: Public Domain

David Newbern, Justice, concurring. Failure of counsel to perfect an appeal is a basis for granting a belated appeal from a circuit court to an appellate court. In re: Belated Appeals in Criminal Cases, 265 Ark. 964 (1979); Ellis v. State, 216 Ark. 560, 637 S.W.2d 588 (1982); Nelson v. State, 272 Ark. 287, 613 S.W.2d 598 (1981). See Ark. R. Crim. P. 36.9. Just as we have the power to grant such appeals from the circuit court, the circuit court should have the power to grant belated appeals, upon a showing of good cause, from the municipal court. The court’s opinion correctly reveals that the circuit court does not now have that power. While the decision is correct, it reveals an unfair gap in our rules. Until we adopt a rule permitting a circuit court to grant, upon a showing of good cause, a belated appeal from a municipal court, it is my opinion that this court has the authority to permit a belated appeal from a municipal court to a circuit court, and we should exercise it. Arkansas R. Crim. P. 1.2 provides: These rules shall govern the proceedings in all criminal cases in the Supreme Court and in circuit courts of the State of Arkansas. They shall also apply in all other courts where their application is practicable or constitutionally required. It is practicable, for now, to apply Rule 36.9 to appeals of municipal court proceedings. The appellants should be allowed to petition this court for a belated appeal of their case from the municipal to the circuit court, based upon the affidavit of their counsel stating that he mistakenly failed to perfect their appeal on time. Purtle, J., joins in this concurrence.