Court Opinion

ID: 9778262
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-29 20:57:24.054943+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:33:06.130470
License: Public Domain

Andree Layton Roaf, Justice, dissenting. I cannot argue with the rationale employed by the majority in holding that henceforth, juvenile transfer orders may not be appealed after a judgment of conviction in circuit court. However, the state will not be appealing from circuit court convictions after a transfer or refusal to transfer, as the case may be; this holding will only affect juveniles, and I must dissent. Of course a juvenile can be “found guilty after an errorless trial,” even when he should not have been tried in circuit court in the first place. The question for me is how he got to circuit court, not what happened afterward. In light of this court’s previous holdings in Ring v. State, 320 Ark. 128, 894 S.W.2d 944 (1995), and Boyd v. State, 313 Ark. 171, 853 S.W.2d 263 (1993), it seems to be open season on juveniles, at least in the context of juvenile transfer hearings. Indeed, the state in the instant case now seriously argues that the rules of evidence should not apply in such hearings. The majority wisely does not reach this issue in this sad case involving young playmates playing without adult supervision and with access to unsecured guns and ammunition. Undoubtedly, it is an issue that we will confront again. I respectfully dissent. Newbern, J., joins the dissent.