Dorsey v. State

BELL, Chief Judge.

This case presents the issue of the propriety of a circuit court’s dismissal of criminal charges against a defendant for failure of the State to bring the defendant to trial within 180 days, as required by Maryland Code (1971, Repl.Vol.1996), Article 27, § 591 1 and Maryland Rule 4-271 2 , notwithstanding that it was the defendant’s failure to appear on the scheduled trial date that resulted in the postponement of the case beyond the prescribed 180-day period. Stated differently, we must determine whether § 591 and Rule 4-271 impose a duty on the State to seek a postponement…