Legal Definitions - fugitive-dismissal rule

Definition: The fugitive-dismissal rule is a principle that allows an appellate court to dismiss a criminal defendant's appeal if the defendant is a fugitive. This means that if a defendant has fled or is on the run from the law, their appeal will not be heard until they are brought back into custody.

Example: John is convicted of a crime and sentenced to prison. He decides to flee the country and becomes a fugitive. While he is on the run, he files an appeal of his conviction. However, the appellate court applies the fugitive-dismissal rule and dismisses his appeal because he is not in custody.

Explanation: This example illustrates how the fugitive-dismissal rule works in practice. Even though John has filed an appeal, the court will not hear it until he is brought back into custody. This is because the court cannot allow a fugitive to use the appeals process to delay or avoid justice.