State v. RAIBURN

The opinion of the court was delivered by

Rosen, J.:

The fugitive disentitlement doctrine generally holds that the appeal of a criminal defendant who has absconded from the jurisdiction of the courts should be dismissed. This case requires us to decide whether the fugitive disentitlement doctrine is alive in Kansas and, if so, whether it is applicable when the record shows only that the State has alleged the defendant failed to report to his or her probation officer.

Steven L. Raibum was convicted of one count of felony possession of marijuana. He was sentenced to a term of 20 months’…