State v. Coley

¶1 This case addresses the proper assignment of the burden of proof at a pretrial competency hearing following treatment designed to restore competency. The trial court placed the burden on respondent Mr. Blayne Coley to prove his incompetence. The Court of Appeals reversed, reasoning that the burden rests with the State to prove restoration of competency and that the trial court’s mistake created structural error. We reverse the Court of Appeals and hold that the relevant statute— interpreted by its language, the context of the provision, the statutory scheme as a whole, and related…