Brief filed: 04/12/2021
Documents
League of Women Voters of Penn. V. Degraffenreid
Supreme Court of Pennsylvania; Case No. 4 MAP 2021
Prior Decision
Appeal from the order of the Commonwealth Court, Docket No. 578 MD 2019, sitting in original jurisdiction
Argument(s)
The right “to reasonable and timely notice of and to be present at all public proceedings involving the criminal or delinquent conduct” has impaired the administration of justice and cost counties and states millions of dollars. The right “to reasonable protection from the accused or any person acting on behalf of the accused” has led to absurd results in pretrial release decisions. The codification of “respect for the victim’s . . . privacy” and the right “to reasonable protection from the accused” has made it more difficult for law enforcement to solve crime and left the public lacking critical information about criminal activity.
Author(s)
Lisa A. Mathewson, The Law Offices of Lisa A. Mathewson, LLC, Philadelphia, PA; Gopal Balachandran, University Park, PA.