JAMES REED, APPELLANT,
v.
STATE OF FLORIDA, APPELLEE
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James Reed appeals his sentence imposed upon revocation of probation for a felony DWI conviction. The court reverses because the trial court imposed a sentence exceeding the five-year statutory maximum without crediting time served, which cannot be cured by the defendant's agreement to an illegal sentence.
A defendant cannot acquiesce in an illegal sentence. When a trial court revokes probation, it must credit time served against the new sentence, and the total sentence cannot exceed the five-year statutory maximum for DWI causing injury, regardless of the defendant's agreement.
[1] A defendant cannot acquiesce in an illegal sentence, even if the defendant agrees to the sentence.
[2] When a defendant violates probation, the court may impose any sentence originally available, with credit for time served and subject to guidelines.
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Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligence“a defendant cannot acquiesce in an illegal sentence”
Establishes the fundamental principle that even with defendant's agreement, sentences exceeding statutory maximums are void
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Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligenceReed was charged with DWI, attempted third-degree murder, and culpable negligence. He pled guilty to felony DWI and culpable negligence (misdemeanor),…
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PER CURIAM.
This is an appeal from a sentence imposed upon revocation of appellant’s probation. We reverse and remand with direction.
Having been charged by information with driving while intoxicated (DWI), attempted third degree murder, and culpable negligence, appellant pled guilty to felony DWI and culpable negligence (a misdemeanor), and the state nolle prossed the attempted murder charge. The trial court sentenced appellant to a three year term of imprisonment followed by two years probation. As a condition of his probation, appellant was ordered to pay $6,500 in restitution to the victims.
After appellant was released from prison, his probation officer filed an affidavit of violation of probation. The affidavit and subsequent warrant referred only to the felony DWI conviction. Appellant pled guilty to the six alleged violations and against the advice of counsel accepted the court’s offer of two years community control to be followed by three more years of probation. Defense counsel argued that the sentence was illegal because the total sanctions were greater than the five year statutory maximum for the offense charged. The trial court revoked appellant’s probation and entered new orders of community control and probation. The instant appeal followed.
The statutory maximum penalty for DWI causing injury (a third degree felony) is five years.
Sections 316.-193(3)(c)2 & 775.082(3)(d), Fla.Stat. (1991).
The trial court initially sentenced appellant to a “probationary split sentence,” consisting of three years confinement followed by two years probation. When appellant violated his probation, the trial court was permitted to impose any sentence it originally might have imposed, with credit for time served and subject to the guidelines recommendation. Poore v. State, 531 So. 2d 161, 164 (Fla.1988).
Consequently, the trial court exceeded the statutory maximum by failing to credit appellant’s time served against the new sentence of two years community control followed by three years probation. Id. As such, appellant’s sentence is illegal. See Medina v. State, 604 So. 2d 30 (Fla. 2d DCA 1992).1
While the state concedes that appellant should have been given credit for time served against the new sentence, it argues that appellant agreed to the new sentence because he wanted additional time to pay the $6,500 in restitution.
The state asserts that because appellant agreed to the sentence, counsel’s argument on appeal will only serve to prejudice the desires of his client. The state even urges this court to inquire of appellant personally as to whether he wishes to proceed with this appeal so as to avoid a future attack alleging ineffective assistance of counsel. What the state overlooks, however, is that a defendant cannot acquiesce in an illegal sentence. Purvis v. Lindsey, 587 So. 2d 638 (Fla. 4th DCA 1991).
Therefore, despite appellant’s wishes, he cannot agree to be sentenced beyond the statutory maximum.
Accordingly, we reverse appellant’s sentence and remand for resentencing with direction that appellant’s total sentence for the felony DWI conviction not exceed five years.
Appellant also correctly asserts that the orders of community control and probation state that they apply to counts for DWI with injury, suspended license, and habitual offender when in fact they only apply to felony DWI. The state concedes this error, and we direct that it be corrected on remand.
GLICKSTEIN, C.J., and LETTS and WARNER, JJ., concur. . The state apparently concedes that the violation of probation refers only to the original felony DWI conviction and does not include the culpable negligence conviction.
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Hause v. State, 643 So. 2d 679 (Fla. 4th DCA 1994)…posed. Appellant does not agree that he affirmatively sought the sentence. Furthermore, he correctly points out that even if he had agreed to the sentence, his acquiescence does not preclude him from appealing an illegal sentence. See Reed v. State, 616 So. 2d 592 (Fla. 4th DCA 1998); Purvis v. State, 587 So. 2d 638 (Fla. 4th DCA 1991). Appellant maintains that the sentence rendered constitutes an illegal sentence because the trial court departed from the presumptive sentencing guidelines without providing w…
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Collins v. State, 697 So. 2d 1305 (Fla. 4th DCA 1997)…e. Moreover, the principle of estoppel cited in Taylor has limitations. Even with a [*1308] defendant’s assent, the court is without jurisdiction to impose a sentence in excess of the statutory maximum. See Cheney, 640 So. 2d at 105; Reed v. State, 616 So. 2d 592, 593 (Fla. 4th DCA 1993). Nevertheless, the fact that a court is without jurisdiction to impose a sentence in excess of the statutory maximum does not mean that the court is without jurisdiction to find a violation that occurred while the defendant…
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Cayson v. State, 638 So. 2d 1061 (Fla. 4th DCA 1994)…e, 600 So. 2d 11 (Fla. 4th DCA 1992); Salas v. State, 589 So. 2d 343 (Fla. 4th DCA 1991). This court has recognized a sentence in excess of the maximum term allowed by law, will not be enforced notwithstanding a plea stipulation. See Reed v. State, 616 So. 2d 592 (Fla. 4th DCA 1993); Purvis v. Lindsey ex rel. State, 587 So. 2d 638 (Fla. 4th DCA 1991). The state notes, and seeks relief from, a previously recognized anomaly in the statutory sentencing scheme that permits prison sentence to a-longer term of ye…
Previewing 3 of 9 citing cases — full citator treatment, depth of discussion, and citing context are member features.
Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligenceAuthorities Cited
- Poore v. State, 531 So. 2d 161 (Fla. 1988)
- Purvis v. The Honorable Hubert R. Lindsey, 587 So. 2d 638 (Fla. 4th DCA 1991)
- Medina v. State, 604 So. 2d 30 (Fla. 2d DCA 1992)