Blackstock v. Newman, 84-1475

Decision Date02 January 1985
Docket NumberNo. 84-1475,84-1475
Citation461 So.2d 1021,10 Fla. L. Weekly 105
Parties10 Fla. L. Weekly 105 Mary P. BLACKSTOCK, Petitioner, v. The Honorable Robert H. NEWMAN, as Judge of the Circuit Court of the 11th Judicial Circuit in and for Dade County, Florida, Respondent.
CourtFlorida District Court of Appeals

R. Stuart Huff and Patricia A. Peoples, Coral Gables, for petitioner.

Jim Smith, Atty. Gen., and Charles M. Fahlbusch, Asst. Atty. Gen., for respondent.

Before HENDRY, NESBITT and DANIEL S. PEARSON, JJ.

HENDRY, Judge.

Petitioner seeks a writ of prohibition to prevent the Circuit Court for Dade County from bringing her to trial beyond the speedy trial time period. 1

Petitioner was arrested, taken into custody and released on bail on December 20, 1983. She appeared for arraignment on January 9, 1984 without counsel, although she was not indigent. She requested that she be permitted to obtain counsel; the request was granted with instructions that she report back to the court on her efforts to obtain counsel. No trial date was set at that time. On January 12, 18, 20 and 25 petitioner appeared before the trial court upon continuing instructions to report on her efforts to obtain counsel. No trial date was set. On February 1 petitioner appeared before the court, with counsel; she was arraigned, pled not guilty and for the first time a trial date was set, which was April 9, 1984. A total of 23 days elapsed between petitioner's first required appearance and her arraignment, during which time she sought and obtained counsel.

On April 3, 1984 petitioner made a motion to continue the trial set for April 9. The motion was granted on the ground that the state attorney's office was not available to attend petitioner's scheduled deposition prior to trial. The continuance was charged to the state. The trial was reset for May 21, 1984. On May 21 the trial was continued, on the state's motion, to May 23. On May 23 trial was continued to May 29. On May 29 the trial was continued indefinitely from day to day, either at the state's request or on the court's own motion due to a congested docket, or both.

On June 7, 1984 a conference was held in the court's chambers to discuss the setting of a trial date. Petitioner's counsel again announced a readiness for trial at anytime up to and including June 17, 1984. On June 7 the court reset the trial date to July 10, 1984, over objections of petitioner's counsel. The trial court took the position that petitioner had waived her rights under the speedy trial rule when she requested time to find an attorney prior to arraignment.

We agree with the state's contention that the request of petitioner for time to employ an attorney constituted a motion for continuance waiving her speedy trial rule rights under Butterworth v. Fluellen, 389 So.2d 968 (Fla.1980). Any defense ...

To continue reading

Request your trial
16 cases
  • Banks v. State, 93-0983
    • United States
    • Florida District Court of Appeals
    • 19 Febrero 1997
    ...604 So.2d 487 (Fla.1992); Fonte v. State, 515 So.2d 1036 (Fla. 3d DCA 1987), rev. denied, 525 So.2d 878 (Fla.1988); Blackstock v. Newman, 461 So.2d 1021, 1022 (Fla. 3rd DCA), rev. denied, 467 So.2d 999 (Fla.1985); State v. Fraser, 426 So.2d 46 (Fla. 5th DCA 1982), rev. denied, 436 So.2d 98 ......
  • D Foley v. Sec'y, Dep't of Corr.
    • United States
    • U.S. District Court — Middle District of Florida
    • 26 Agosto 2022
    ...and prejudice, not specific numbers of days.” State v. Naveira, 873 So.2d 300, 308 (Fla. 2004) (quoting Blackstock v. Newman, 461 So.2d 1021, 1022 (Fla. DCA 1985)). There are four factors pertinent to determining whether the Defendant's constitutional right to speedy trial has been violated......
  • State v. Gibson, 5D00-702.
    • United States
    • Florida District Court of Appeals
    • 12 Abril 2001
    ...Butterworth v. Fluellen 389 So.2d 968 (Fla.1980); Banks v. State, 691 So.2d 490 (Fla. 4th DCA 1997); Blackstock v. Newman, 461 So.2d 1021, 1022 (Fla. 3d DCA 1985) ("The speedy trial rule is a procedural device only and not a constitutional right. Once the speedy trial rule has been waived, ......
  • State v. Naveira
    • United States
    • Florida Supreme Court
    • 22 Abril 2004
    ...not specific numbers of days." Fonte v. State, 515 So.2d 1036, 1038 n. 2 (Fla. 3d DCA 1987). As the court found in Blackstock v. Newman, 461 So.2d 1021 (Fla. 3d DCA 1985), discussing a related By this decision, we do not force appellant to choose between two sixth amendment rights, the righ......
  • Request a trial to view additional results

VLEX uses login cookies to provide you with a better browsing experience. If you click on 'Accept' or continue browsing this site we consider that you accept our cookie policy. ACCEPT