J-S39027-16
NON-PRECEDENTIAL DECISION - SEE SUPERIOR COURT I.O.P. 65.37
COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA, IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF
PENNSYLVANIA
Appellee
v.
DARNELL D. HARRIS,
Appellant No. 1848 MDA 2015
Appeal from the Order Entered September 22, 2015
in the Court of Common Pleas of Lycoming County
Criminal Division at No.: CP-41-SA-0000028-2015
BEFORE: STABILE, J., PLATT, J.*, and STRASSBURGER, J.*
JUDGMENT ORDER BY PLATT, J.: FILED MAY 09, 2016
Appellant, Darnell D. Harris, appeals from the trial court’s order
dismissing his traffic citation for driving a commercial motor vehicle while his
operating privilege is suspended1 at docket number SA-28-2015. We
dismiss this appeal as moot.
The relevant procedural background of this case is as follows. On
September 22, 2015, Appellant entered a guilty plea, at separate docket
number SA-34-2015, to charges of speeding at a hazardous grade and
driving a commercial motor vehicle while his operating privilege is
suspended. In exchange, the Commonwealth withdrew a second charge of
____________________________________________
*
Retired Senior Judge assigned to the Superior Court.
1
75 Pa.C.S.A. § 1606(c)(1)(ii).
J-S39027-16
driving a commercial motor vehicle while his operating privilege is
suspended, at the instant docket number, SA-28-2015. (See N.T. Summary
Appeal, 9/22/15, at 2-4). On that same date, the court entered an order
dismissing the citation at SA-28-2015.2 (See Order, 9/22/15, at 1). On
October 22, 2015, Appellant filed a notice of appeal at SA-28-2015 only.
(See Trial Court Opinion, 12/24/15, at 1).
On appeal, Appellant challenges the validity of the guilty plea he
entered at SA-34-2015. (See Appellant’s Brief, at 1). However, the trial
court concluded that because the citation at the docket under which the
appeal was filed, SA-28-2015, was dismissed, there are no issues properly
before this Court. (See Trial Ct. Op., at 1). We agree with the trial court.
“Generally, a case will be dismissed if at any stage of the judicial
process it is rendered moot.” Commonwealth v. Sloan, 907 A.2d 460,
465 (Pa. 2006) (citation omitted). Here, the trial court dismissed the
citation at SA-28-2015; it imposed no penalty in this case. Because there is
no meaningful relief that can be granted, we must dismiss this appeal as
moot.
____________________________________________
2
The court re-imposed the fines and sanctions imposed by the magisterial
district court judge on the charges at SA-34-2015.
-2-
J-S39027-16
Appeal dismissed as moot.
Judgment Entered.
Joseph D. Seletyn, Esq.
Prothonotary
Date: 5/9/2016
-3-