STATE OF FLORIDA, APPELLANT,
v.
RONALD LEE KURTZ, APPELLEE

Fla. 4th DCA | 1978-01-10
No. 77-1196
DOWNEY, J., and BURNSTEIN, MIETTE K., Associate Judge, concur.
354 So. 2d 890 Florida District Court of Appeal, Fourth District (1978) Negative Treatment
Cited by 36 cases

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Holding

A criminal defendant's motion for continuance, when granted, removes the case from the strict application of the Speedy Trial Rule.


Headnotes

[1] When a criminal defendant or their attorney files a motion for continuance that is granted, the Speedy Trial Rule no longer applies except to the limited extent provided…

[2] A criminal defendant's voluntary motion for continuance, when granted, removes the case from the strict operation of the Speedy Trial Rule.

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Facts & Procedural History

The appellee was arrested and charged with burglary, with a 180-day speedy trial limit. Multiple continuances were granted, some at the defendant's re…

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Opinion of the Court
DAUKSCH, Judge.

DAUKSCH, Judge.

We must again venture into the legal morass of the Speedy Trial Rule, Rule 3.191, Fla.R.Crim.P. The applicable facts are that Appel-lee was arrested on April 5, 1976, and charged by information on April 9, 1976, with the crime of burglary. Counting from the date of arrest, April 5,1976, the trial of the accused had to begin on or before the expiration of 180 days, since the charged crime is a felony. Rule 3.191(a)(1), Fla.R. Crim.P. The trial court set September 9, 1976, as the date for the trial. On September 9, 1976, the Appellee moved for a continuance of the trial and the court rescheduled the trial for September 14, 1976. On September 10, 1976, Appellee again moved for a continuance of the trial and specifically waived his theretofore accrued right to speedy trial. Parenthetically, it is noted that the waiver is not necessary since the Order granting the Defendant’s Motion has that effect anyway. State v. Abrams, 350 So. 2d 1104 (Fla. 4th DCA 1977). On September 14, 1976, the second trial date, the court granted Appellee’s Motion of September 10, 1976, and rescheduled the trial for November 29,1976. On November 27,1976, the Appellant filed a proper Motion for Continuance of the trial which was granted and the trial was rescheduled for February 14,1977. Judge Cooper was the first scheduled trial judge and he continued to handle the matter until the Order of November 27, 1976, at which time, or on December 2, 1976, according to a clerk’s form, Judge deManio became the scheduled trial judge. On January 3,1977, Judge deManio recused himself and Judge Pfeiffer was assigned the case on January 4, 1977.

Next there appears in the record Defendant’s Motion for Discharge dated March 28, 1977. What became of the February 14, 1977, trial which was ordered in the November 27, 1976, Order and the December 2, 1976, Notice of Trial?1 Appellant’s brief doesn’t say and Appellee didn’t favor us with a brief. Griffith v. Shamrock Village, 94 So. 2d 854 (Fla.1957); Southeastern Fidelity Insurance Co. v. Broughton, 293 So. 2d 139, 142 footnote 6 (Fla. 1st DCA 1974).

In reading Appellee’s Motion for Discharge we assume his argument to us would be that the trial should have been held within 180 days from his last Motion for Continuance especially since his “Waiver of Speedy Trial” says “. . . hereby waive my right to speedy trial for up to 180 days.” It doesn’t say 180 days from when but that doesn’t matter as will be shown.

When the accused filed his Motion for a continuance and the court granted it the provisions of the Speedy Trial Rule were no longer applicable as far as the 180 days provision is concerned. It’s a whole new ball game. Other rights now apply, not the limiting rule of criminal procedure. The Appellee voluntarily took himself out of Rule 3.191 and his vague attempt to unilaterally impose another 180 days restriction effects nothing. State ex rel. Butler v. Cullen, 253 So. 2d 861 (Fla.1971); State ex rel. Gadson v. Tyson, 334 So. 2d 56 (Fla. 4th DCA 1976). Although again it really doesn’t matter, Appellee’s attorney’s Motion for Continuance specifically waives the Speedy Trial Rule and no attempted restriction is contained therein. State v. Abrams, 350 So. 2d 1104 (Fla. 4th DCA 1977).

In accordance with Rule 3.191(d) (2), Fla.R.Crim.P., and the above cited cases we hold that if a criminal defendant or his attorney files a motion for continuance of his trial and the motion is granted then the Speedy Trial Rule no longer applies except to the limited extent of Rule 3.191(d)(3). State ex rel. Gadson v. Tyson, supra. We also hold that the State’s proper Motion for Continuance, which was granted, also took this matter out of the strict operation of the Speedy Trial Rule. Rule 3.191(d)(2) and 3.191(f), Fla.R.Crim.P. King v. State, 303 So. 2d 389 (Fla. 3d DCA 1974).

Finally for us to consider is whether the Appellee should be discharged because he was not tried before March 29, 1977. Appellee has shown no reason why he was unduly prejudiced by this two or three month delay after the last action of the court so we must say he should go to trial.

The Order of discharge is reversed and this cause is remanded for trial.

REVERSED and REMANDED.

DOWNEY, J., and BURNSTEIN, MIETTE K., Associate Judge, concur. . The Order granting continuance and Notice of Trial, the first signed by the judge and the second signed by the clerk, are contained within the same piece of paper.


Cases With Similar Vibessemantic neighbors from the corpus


Citator

Cited By (18 total)

  • State v. Bufford, 383 So. 2d 928 (Fla. 5th DCA 1980)
    …ays of having been taken into custody. Rule 3.191, Fla.R.Crim.P. (1977). Even though appellee was not tried within the 180 days, his case was taken out of the operation of that rule by his having moved for and obtained a continuance. State v. Kurtz, 354 So. 2d 890 (Fla. 4th DCA 1978), cert. denied 360 So. 2d 1249 (Fla.1978). The appellee was also not entitled to a discharge because the trial court had earlier properly granted a continuance requested by the appellant. Kurtz said: We also hold that the State’s…
  • Luhrs v. State, 394 So. 2d 137 (Fla. 5th DCA 1981)
    …0). The only manner by which the rule is brought back into operation is if the defendant files a motion for discharge; in that event, he must be brought to trial within ninety days after that motion is filed. Bufford at 930. See also State v. Kurtz, 354 So. 2d 890 (Fla. 4th DCA 1978). Contra, State v. Reese, 359 So. 2d 33 (Fla. 4th DCA 1978). A court order entered before expiration of the speedy trial time is required to extend or toll the speedy trial periods. Ru-biera v. Dade County ex rel. Benitez, 305 So…
  • Albert Banks v. State, 691 So. 2d 490 (Fla. 4th DCA 1997)
    …1982). See also Rubiera v. Dade County ex rel. Benitez, 305 So. 2d 161 (Fla.1974); State v. Oppert, 380 So. 2d 1301 (Fla. 4th DCA), rev. denied, 392 So. 2d 1377 (Fla.1980); State v. Duda, 368 So. 2d 918, 919-920 (Fla. 4th DCA 1979); State v. Kurtz, 354 So. 2d 890, 891-892 (Fla. 4th DCA), cert. denied, 360 So. 2d 1249 (Fla.1978); State v. Abrams, 350 So. 2d 1104, 1105 (Fla. 4th DCA 1977); State ex rel. Godson v. Tyson, 334 So. 2d 56, 58 (Fla. 4th DCA 1976). Finding no fault with the state, Appellant’s argume…

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