Com. v. Bell

Decision Date05 October 1978
Citation392 A.2d 691,481 Pa. 229
PartiesCOMMONWEALTH of Pennsylvania v. David BELL, Appellant.
CourtPennsylvania Supreme Court

Richard S. Wasserbly, Asst. Public Defender, Doylestown, for appellant.

Stephen B. Harris, First Asst. Dist. Atty., Warrington, for appellee.

Before EAGEN, C. J., and O'BRIEN, ROBERTS, POMEROY, NIX, MANDERINO and LARSEN, JJ.

OPINION OF THE COURT

PER CURIAM.

Order of the Superior Court, 245 Pa.Super. 164, 369 A.2d 345, affirmed.

POMEROY and MANDERINO, JJ., did not participate in the consideration of this case.

ROBERTS, J., filed a dissenting opinion.

ROBERTS, Justice, dissenting.

The majority today holds that when a juvenile case is transferred to adult court, the 180 day period within which trial must be brought under Rule 1100 begins to run at the time of the transfer. I dissent. Commonwealth v. Mitchell, 472 Pa. 553, 372 A.2d 826 (1977), is controlling. There we relied on the comment to Rule 1100 which indicates that the 180 day period is to commence when criminal proceedings are initiated. Here I would hold that proceedings were initiated by the filing of the delinquency petition in juvenile court.

Because the 180 day period began to run when the delinquency petition was filed, the Commonwealth failed to bring appellant to trial within the time mandated by Rule 1100. I would therefore reverse the order of the Superior Court and reinstate the trial court order, dismissing the charges with prejudice.

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10 cases
  • Commonwealth v. Sadler
    • United States
    • Pennsylvania Superior Court
    • 18 Junio 1982
    ... ... that appellee had not been timely tried under rule 1100 ... We agree. In Commonwealth v. Bell, 245 Pa. Superior Ct ... 164, 369 A.2d 345 (1976), aff'd mem., 481 Pa. 229, ... 392 A.2d 691 (1978), our Court held that when an action ... ...
  • Sadler v. Sullivan
    • United States
    • U.S. Court of Appeals — Third Circuit
    • 20 Noviembre 1984
    ...to juvenile proceedings, 5 as well as its decision in Commonwealth v. Bell, 245 Pa.Super. 164, 369 A.2d 345 (1976), aff'd mem., 481 Pa. 229, 392 A.2d 691 (1978), 6 the Superior Court held that the Rule 1100 period did not begin to run for Sadler until January 8, 1979, the date of his certif......
  • Com. v. Bradley
    • United States
    • Pennsylvania Supreme Court
    • 8 Noviembre 1978
  • Mellott, In Interest of
    • United States
    • Pennsylvania Superior Court
    • 19 Abril 1984
    ... ... 455, 460-461, 424 A.2d 897, ... 900 (1981), cert. denied, 454 U.S. 851, 102 S.Ct. 292, 70 ... L.Ed.2d 141; Commonwealth v. Bell, 245 Pa.Super ... 164, 166, 369 A.2d 345, 346 (1976), aff'd, 481 Pa. 229, ... 392 A.2d 691 (1978). Due process and equal protection ... arguments ... ...
  • Request a trial to view additional results

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