Commonwealth v. Fishel
Commonwealth v. Fishel
Opinion of the Court
Appointed counsel seeks to withdraw from prosecuting his client’s appeal. Because we conclude that counsel has failed to comply with the requirements of Anders v. California, 386 U.S. 738, 87 S.Ct. 1396, 18 L.Ed.2d 493 (1967), and Commonwealth v. Baker, 429 Pa. 209, 239 A.2d 201 (1968), we must deny his request to withdraw.
On November 18, 1974, appellant was charged with four counts of forgery,
The Supreme Court in Commonwealth v. Greer, 455 Pa. 106, 108, 314 A.2d 513, 514 (1974), recently delineated the applicable standards in passing upon an appointed counsel’s request to withdraw: “Anders and Baker require that before appointed counsel may withdraw, he must thoroughly examine the record and determine whether his client’s case is wholly frivolous. If he so determines, counsel must then (1) request the court’s permission to withdraw, (2) submit with his request a brief referring the court to anything in the record which might arguably support an appeal, and (3) furnish a copy of this brief to his client in time to allow an appeal in propria persona or a request for appointment of new counsel. See Anders v. California, supra, 386 U.S. at 744, 87 S.Ct. at 1400; Commonwealth v. Jones [451 Pa. 69, 301 A.2d 811 (1973)]; Commonwealth v. Baker, supra, 429 Pa. at 214, 239 A.2d at 203. It should be emphasized that lack of merit in an appeal is not the legal equivalent of frivolity. Anders ‘appears to rest narrowly on the distinction between complete frivolity and absence of merit. The latter is not enough to support either a request by counsel to withdraw, nor the granting of such a request by the court.’ ABA Project on Standards for Criminal Justice, Standards Relating to the Defense Function § 8.3, Commentary at 297 (Approved Draft, 1971).” (footnote omitted). See also Commonwealth v. Johnson, 242 Pa.Super. 188, 363 A.2d 1223 (1976).
The brief submitted by counsel in the case at bar raises appellant’s claim that his one-to-three year concurrent sentence on the count of theft by unlawful taking was excessive. While this claim ultimately may be found to be non-meritorious, we cannot say that it is wholly frivolous. See Commonwealth v. Johnson, supra. If the amount involved in the theft is less than fifty dol
We also must reject any contention that the concurrent nature of the possibly excessive sentence renders appellant’s claim wholly frivolous. It is certainly arguable that-appellant may suffer prejudice from an illegally imposed concurrent sentence. Commonwealth v. Walker, 468 Pa. 323, 362 A.2d 227 (1976). In his brief, counsel failed to discuss the potentially prejudicial aspects of an illegal concurrent sentence. By neglecting this important aspect of the case, counsel may have failed in his duty to act as an advocate and not as an amicus curiae. Commonwealth v. Greer, supra; Commonwealth v. Jones,
Counsel is directed to file a brief consistent with this opinion.
. The Crimes Code, Act of Dec. 6, 1972, P.L. 1482, No. 334, § 1; 18 Pa.C.S. § 4101.
. The Crimes Code, supra; 18 Pa.C.S. § 3502.
. The Crimes Code, supra; 18 Pa.C.S. § 3926.
. The Crimes Code, supra; 18 Pa.C.S. § 3921.
. The Crimes Code, supra; 18 Pa.C.S. § 1104(3).
. The Crimes Code, supra; 18 Pa.C.S. § 1101(5).
. The Crimes Code, supra, as amended, Act of June 17, 1974, P.L. 356, No. 118, § 1; 18 Pa.C.S. § 3903.
. Nor can we say at this time that appellant’s claim is definitely meritorious. The Commonwealth does not customarily file a response to an appointed counsel’s Anders-Baker brief. Therefore, we do not have the benefit of the Commonwealth’s view of the merits of appellant’s claim. Cf. Wiegand v. Wiegand, 461 Pa. 482, 337 A.2d 256 (1975).
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.