GREGORY MARK RAUB, APPELLANT,
v.
STATE OF FLORIDA, APPELLEE
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Gregory Raub appealed the summary denial of his Rule 3.850 motion for postconviction relief claiming ineffective assistance of trial counsel. The court affirmed the denial of his insufficient factual basis claim but reversed the denial of his ineffective assistance claim, finding that counsel failed to raise a meritorious motion to dismiss based on controlling case law establishing that dosage unit amount, not aggregate weight, determines trafficking charges.
The trial court's denial of Raub's ineffective assistance claim was reversed because counsel failed to raise a legally meritorious motion to dismiss supported by controlling case law. The case was remanded for an evidentiary hearing because the trial court's order denying the motion did not state the basis for the denial.
[1] A trial court must attach portions of the record that conclusively show a defendant is entitled to no relief when denying a motion for postconviction relief.
[2] An evidentiary hearing is necessary when a defendant's allegations of ineffective assistance of counsel are legally sufficient and supported by relevant case law that wou…
Previewing 2 of 5 headnotes on this case. FLexlaw’s editorially structured points of law — every proposition, pinpointed — are reserved for members.
Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligence“if a mixture containing the controlled substance falls within the parameters set forth in Schedule III, the amount of the controlled substance per dosage unit, not the aggregate amount or weight is determinative for prosecution under section 893.135(l)(c), Florida Statutes (1993)”
The controlling legal standard from Holland that established the proper method of calculating drug quantities for trafficking charges, which Raub's counsel should have used to challenge the trafficking charge
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Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligenceRaub was convicted of trafficking in illegal drugs and entered a plea. His trial counsel failed to file a motion to dismiss based on State v. Holland,…
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BLUE, Acting Chief Judge.
Gregory Raub appeals the summary denial of his timely motion for postconviction relief filed pursuant to Florida Rule of Criminal Procedure 3.850. In his motion, Raub raised two grounds. We affirm without discussion the denial of ground one in which Raub alleges there was an insufficient factual basis for his conviction for trafficking in illegal drugs. We reverse the denial of the motion based on Raub’s allegations of ineffective assistance of trial counseL
Upon her initial review of Raub’s motion, the trial judge determined that the motion sufficiently alleged ineffective assistance of trial counsel and ordered the State to respond to that portion of the motion. If the State filed the written answer required by rule 3.850(d), it was not included in the record on appeal. The record, however, does include a transcript of a brief hearing held on the motion. At the hearing, at which Raub was not present, the judge and the assistant state attorney engaged in a conversation regarding Raub’s motion.1 The judge subsequently denied the motion, but failed to attach to the order “that portion of the files and records that conclusively shows that [Raub] is entitled to no relief.” Fla. R.Crim. P. 3.850(d).
Raub alleged that his trial counsel was ineffective because he failed to file a motion to dismiss the trafficking charge based on State v. Holland, 689 So. 2d 1268 (Fla. 1st DCA 1997), which was decided four months prior to Raub’s plea. In Holland, the First District held that “if a mixture containing the controlled substance falls within the parameters set forth in Schedule III, the amount of the controlled substance per dosage unit, not the aggregate amount or weight” is determinative for prosecution under section 893.135(l)(c), Florida Statutes (1993). 689 So. 2d at 1270. The factual allegations contained in Raub’s motion suggest that his case was similar to Holland. At the time of Raub’s plea, the Fifth District had ruled in conflict with Holland. See State v. Baxley, 684 So. 2d 831 (Fla. 5th DCA 1996). Subsequent to Raub’s plea and sentence, this court addressed the issue and aligned itself with the First District. See State v. Perry, 716 So. 2d 327 (Fla. 2d DCA 1998). The Supreme Court of Florida has recently approved Holland and Perry. See Hayes v. State, 24 Fla. L. Weekly S467, — So. 2d -, 1999 WL 817189 (Fla. Oct. 7, 1999).
The trial court determined, and we agree, that the second ground of Raub’s motion was legally sufficient. The order ultimately denying the motion does not state the basis for the denial. In light of the legal authority that would have supported a motion to dismiss, an evidentiary hearing is necessary.
Accordingly, we reverse the trial court’s denial of Raub’s motion with regard to the claim of ineffective assistance of trial counsel and remand the case to the trial court to conduct an evidentiary hearing.
Affirmed in part, reversed in part, and remanded for an evidentiary hearing.
NORTHCUTT and CASANUEVA, JJ„ Concur. . This opinion does not address our concerns with such an ex parte hearing, a procedure of questionable propriety. We note the hearing involved detailed discussions about the merits of Raub's motion and was not a mere "calendar call.”
Cases With Similar Vibessemantic neighbors from the corpus
Citator
Authorities Cited
- State v. Baxley, 684 So. 2d 831 (Fla. 5th DCA 1996)
- The Agency FOR Health Care Admin. v. Palm Springs Gen. Hosp., Inc., 689 So. 2d 1268 (Fla. 1st DCA 1997)
- State v. Holland, 689 So. 2d 1268 (Fla. 1st DCA 1997)
- Hudson v. State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co., 716 So. 2d 327 (Fla. 2d DCA 1998)
- State v. Perry, 716 So. 2d 327 (Fla. 2d DCA 1998)