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Commonwealth v. VargasCommonwealth v. Vargas

Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
Mar 10, 1982
Appeal No. 460
Reporters:
, ,
Before:
Brien

ORDER

PER CURIAM:

The record is remanded to the Court of Common Pleas of Philadelphia ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‍for an evidentiary hearing to determine whether appellant was afforded effective assistance of trial counsel. If the court determines that there were no reasonable ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‍grounds for counsel’s actions designed to effectuate appellant’s interests, see Commonwealth ex rel. Washington v. Maroney, 427 Pa. 599, 235 A.2d 349 (1967), an order shall be entered ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‍granting appellant a new trial. If it is determined that trial counsel’s representation was effective, the judgment of sentence shall be reinstated. The parties ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‍may appeal the hearing court’s determination. See Commonwealth v. Brown, 478 Pa. 628, 387 A.2d 665 (1978); Commonwealth v. Moore, 466 Pa. 510, 353 A.2d 808 (1976); Commonwealth v. Twiggs, 460 Pa. 105, 331 A.2d ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‍440 (1975).

Judgment of sentence vacated and case remanded for proceedings consistent with this order.

Case Details

Case Name: Commonwealth v. Vargas
Court Name: Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
Date Published: Mar 10, 1982
Citations: 445 A.2d 96; 498 Pa. 121; 1982 Pa. LEXIS 421; Appeal No. 460
Docket Number: Appeal No. 460
Court Abbreviation: Pa.
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