JONATHAN WILLIAM ROWAN
v.
STATE OF FLORIDA
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Jonathan William Rowan appealed his convictions and sentences in two cases, challenging the trial court's denial of his motion to correct sentence. The appellate court found that the trial court erred in not ruling on Rowan's motion to correct a discrepancy between the oral pronouncement of sentence (time served on Count V) and the written sentencing order (five years in the Department of Corrections on Count V), and reversed that denial while affirming the orally pronounced judgments and sentences.
The trial court erred in denying Rowan's motion to correct sentence. When a discrepancy exists between the oral pronouncement and the written sentencing document, the written sentence must be corrected to conform to the oral pronouncement. The court reversed the denial of the motion to correct sentence and remanded for the trial court to correct the written sentencing order.
[1] A written sentence must be corrected to conform to the oral pronouncement of sentence when a discrepancy exists between the two.
[2] A motion to correct a sentence is deemed denied if the trial court does not rule on it within sixty days.
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Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligence“the written sentence must be corrected to conform to the oral pronouncement”
Establishes the fundamental principle that when a discrepancy exists between oral pronouncement and written sentencing order, the written order must be corrected to match the oral pronouncement.
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Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligenceRowan was convicted and sentenced in case number 21-1567CF. At sentencing, the trial court orally sentenced him to time served on Count V, but the wri…
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BROWNLEE, J.
Appellant Jonathan William Rowan challenges the judgments and sentences entered against him in two separate cases, as well as the denial of his motion to correct sentence filed in case number 21-1567CF.1 Because we agree with Appellant that the trial court erred in denying his motion, we reverse on that point. As to the other issues raised on appeal, we affirm without discussion.
After Appellant was sentenced in case number 21-1567CF, he filed a motion to correct sentence pursuant to Florida Rule of Criminal Procedure 3.800(b)(2). Appellant explained that, at his sentencing hearing, the trial court sentenced him to time served on Count V, but the written sentencing order mistakenly reflects that he was sentenced to five years in the Department of Corrections on that count. As a result, Appellant asked the trial court to correct the written sentencing order to conform to the trial court’s oral pronouncement.
The trial court, however, did not rule on Appellant’s motion within sixty days, and thus it was deemed denied. See Fla. R. Crim. P. 3.800(b)(2)(B) (“[I]f the trial court does not file an order ruling on the motion within 60 days, the motion shall be deemed denied.”). Appellant is correct that, at his sentencing hearing, the trial court adjudicated him guilty on Count V and then sentenced him to “credit for time served.” But the written sentencing order reflects something different. It groups Counts I through V together and then states that Appellant is sentenced to a five-year term of imprisonment on each of those counts, to run concurrently.
Accordingly, Appellant is correct that there is a discrepancy between the oral pronouncement and the written sentence. And, when such a discrepancy exists, “the written sentence must be corrected to conform to the oral pronouncement.” Guerra v. State, 927 So. 2d 248, 249 (Fla. 2d DCA 2006); see Williams v. State, 957 So. 2d 600, 603 (Fla. 2007) (“This Court has held that a court’s oral pronouncement of a sentence controls over
the written sentencing document.”). Thus, as the State commendably concedes, the written sentencing order here must be corrected to conform to the trial court’s oral pronouncement. We, therefore, reverse the denial of the motion to correct sentence and remand for the trial court to correct the written sentencing order. We affirm, however, the judgments and sentences imposed orally by the trial court. AFFIRMED in part; REVERSED in part; and REMANDED with instructions. NARDELLA and GANNAM, JJ., concur. Howard L. “Rex” Dimmig, II, Public Defender, and Kevin Briggs, Assistant Public Defender, Bartow, for Appellant.
Ashley Moody, Attorney General, Tallahassee, and Taylor A. Schell, Assistant Attorney General, Tampa, for Appellee.
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Authorities Cited
- Williams v. State, 957 So. 2d 600 (Fla. 2007)
- Guerra v. State, 927 So. 2d 248 (Fla. 2d DCA 2006)