Court Opinion

ID: 9849674
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-09-24 04:44:05.90974+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:20:23.253874
License: Public Domain

Felton, Chief Judge,
concurring specially. I think that what *276counsel for the defendant stated to the committee amounts in law to a motion for a continuance or a postponement of the trial of the case. It is inconceivable that counsel was or could have been referring to anything else. This conclusion stands to reason. Any additional argument would be surplusage, but it may be observed that the chairman of the committee ruled that the trial would proceed if the committee had no objection. What about the rights of others to object, — the parties, the lawyers, the witnesses? Two thousand years ago the Hebrews had a law forbidding a trial at night. On the one occasion I have in mind, the law was not observed and the trial was begun at 2 a.m. There is no specific written law in Georgia forbidding a trial at night but there are other rules which make one illegal under the facts of this case. Without attempting to name additional ones, two principles are overriding, common sense and public policy. They are enough for me. Under the facts, to begin a five-hour trial about 1 a.m. violates the dictates of reason and humanity in the absence of counter-compelling reasons why it was necessary in the interest of justice and public policy to proceed at such a time to prevent a miscarriage of justice. The cases cited by the majority in my opinion are not authority for the proposition sought to be sustained, especially the statement that “all” motions for continuance are technically construed. Making the rule so technical in this case is beyond the bounds of reason, in my humble opinion. I think the judgment should also be reversed because of the failure to begin the trial at a sensible hour. I do not think that the cases cited by the majority as to this point are applicable to this case.
I am authorized to state that Judge Quillian concurs in this special concurrence.