Court Opinion

ID: 9845441
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-09-24 03:21:59.434154+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:16:07.753388
License: Public Domain

Banke, Judge,
concurring specially.
I fully realize that trial judges are doing their best to reduce increasing backlogs and to reduce the time lag between indictment and trial, and this is as it should be. However, the Supreme Court of Georgia and this court have to their credit traditionally and zealously guarded the right of a defendant that his appointed counsel shall have a reasonable time to prepare his case for trial. To hold otherwise would deny him the full benefit of counsel guaranteed to him under the Federal and State Constitutions. Code § 1-806; Code Ann. §§ 2-101, 2-111. Where an attorney is appointed by the court to defend a person accused of a crime, especially a felony, the court must allow him a reasonable time for the preparation of the defense; and where such motion is made and refused, justice requires that a new trial be granted. Hunt v. State, 102 Ga. 569 (27 SE 670) (1897); Reliford v. State, 140 Ga. 777 (79 SE 1128) (1913); Edwards v. State, 204 Ga. 384 (50 SE2d 10) (1948); Fair v. Balkcom, 216 Ga. 721 (119 SE2d 691) (1961). I would not, however, invoke this same rule to the delinquent and tardy but otherwise competent defendant who has been out on bail and employs an attorney the day before trial. See generally discussion in Williams v. State, 144 Ga. App. 410 (241 SE2d 261) (1977).