Commonwealth v. Mouzon

OPINION ANNOUNCING THE JUDGMENT OF THE COURT

Justice NIGRO.

The issue presented in the instant appeal is whether the Superior Court erred in refusing to review Appellant Jerome Mouzon’s challenge to the discretionary aspects of his criminal sentence based upon its conclusion that his claim of excessiveness failed to raise a substantial question as a matter of law because his sentence was within the statutory limits. As we find the Superior Court erred, we reverse.

Traditionally, the trial court is afforded broad discretion in sentencing criminal defendants “because of the perception that the…