If you think you did not receive a fair speedy trial please contact your Bucks County criminal lawyer.
In the 6th amendment of the U.S. Constitution every person is entitled to a speedy trial. This speedy trial clause only comes into play when the government has officially accused someone of a crime by either arresting him or her or indicting him or her. This clause is so important because it keeps defendants out of jail for an indefinite period of time, and it lets him or her have the opportunity to prepare an adequate defense for when they are on trial. If a trial is delayed for a long period of time, the witnesses may not be able to show up, and evidence may be lost in the long waiting process.
In certain cases, if someone does not show up for their speedy trials they will forfeit some of the rights that they would have if they did show up. In the case of Commonwealth v. Feeney , Mr. Feeney did not show up to his trial, and gave up something that could have helped him get out of the charges that were levied against him.
After getting arrested and processed, the Philadelphia Municipal Courts provide you with your court date anywhere within 180 days of when you were arrested. Since Mr. Feeney failed to appear for his scheduled trial date, and failed to provide any explanation of the absence or that his absence was involuntary, Feeney waived his right to seek dismissal of the DUI charge based on him. This only happened because he missed his court date, which automatically waived his for a dismissal. To find out more about this case the site is Commonwealth v. Feeney 101 A.3d 830 (Pa. Super. 2014).