Right to a Speedy Trial

Motions to dismiss on speedy trial grounds have been routinely denied during the past year with judges citing Covid as the grounds.  Recently I've come to learn that the argument is again alive and perhaps well.  In today's case the routine drunk driving case was 563 days old.  The defendant was out on bond.  Other than stating a general feeling of anxiety wondering what would happen at trial there was no other obvious prejudice to the defendant.  The defendant did assert her speedy trial rights early on in the case.  There were no other postponements, the defendant never missed court, the judge found the delay to violate her speedy trial rights and dismissed the charges.

If you have an old case it is worthwhile to assert speedy trial defenses.