Court Opinion

ID: 9747679
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-27 15:27:18.116764+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:25:25.574096
License: Public Domain

NIX, Justice,
concurring and dissenting.
In the instant action cross appeals were filed in the Superior Court. The Commonwealth filed an appeal from the February 24, 1975 order of Judge Porter, reversing his earlier ruling and quashing the indictments because of an asserted violation of Pa.R.Crim.P. 203(c). The appellee, after a certification from the court below that the order was appropriate for interlocutory review, filed an appeal challenging Judge Greenberg’s denial of his motion for discharge on the basis of a denial of speedy trial. Efficient administration, judicial economy and logic should have suggested the prior disposition of the merits of the appeal of the Commonwealth relating to the validity of the order quashing the indictments.1 Obviously, a decision dismissing the indictments would necessarily moot the speedy trial claim and eliminate the necessity of reaching the merits of the issues presented therein. Regrettably, this course was not selected by the Superior Court and the majority today has compounded this unwise approach by also discussing the merits of the asserted Rule 1100 violation without first considering the validity of the 203(c) claim upon which it must necessarily depend.
*520I am aware that even though the quashing of the indictments might be sustained on the appellate level, the Commonwealth would not be precluded from seeking re-indictments for the same charges and thereby revitalize appellee’s speedy trial claim. However, in such an event, the posture of that claim would be materially different from that which has been presently presented because of the additional time that would then have been consumed through the re-indictment process. We are thus placed in the anomalous position of having first decided an issue which will be simply advisory in the event it is determined that Judge Porter’s order quashing the indictments is to be sustained.
In my judgment the cause should have been remanded to the Superior Court for a resolution on the merits of the appeal lodged by the Commonwealth2 before reaching the merits of the alleged Rule 1100 violation.3

. Although the appeal of the appellee was lodged first, the Superior Court consolidated the later appeal filed by the Commonwealth and was therefore at liberty to determine which issue to decide first.

. As noted by the majority (p. 1275), the Superior Court quashed the Commonwealth appeal. From the language of the order it is clear that the Superior Court did not consider the merits of that appeal and although not expressly stated, the order implies that the decision to quash was not as a result of a procedural defect in the appeal but rather in view of its decision as to appellee’s appeal. If however, there was a procedural basis for the Superi- or Court’s decision to quash, then that basis should have been articulated, and if this Court determined that review was appropriate, the propriety of the order to quash should have been addressed before a consideration of the Rule 1100 claim.

. I do not suggest any view as to the merits of appellee’s appeal.