State v. Weisser

While I join in the opinion of the court, I write only to elaborate further my views regarding the defendant’s claim that any defendant charged by information is entitled to a jury trial under article first, § 8, of our state constitution. I find that this claim reflects an unwarranted rigidity in the interpretation of our constitution. The label affixed to a charging document should not be the determining factor as to whether a person is entitled to a jury trial. State v. Gorra Bros., Inc., 4 Conn. Cir. Ct. 488, 494-95, 236 A.2d 345 (1967). Rather, the focus should be, as both courts and the…