MICHAEL DELLOFANO, APPELLANT,
v.
STATE OF FLORIDA, APPELLEE
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Michael Dellofano appealed the trial court's summary denial of his motion to enforce a plea agreement and sentence, challenging a Department of Corrections forfeiture of 98 days of gain-time credit that he claims violated the parties' agreed-upon sentencing terms. The appellate court reversed and remanded, holding that while the DOC may generally revoke gain-time, it cannot do so in a manner that thwarts the specific terms of a negotiated plea agreement.
The trial court erred in summarily denying the motion. While the DOC may generally revoke gain-time without court approval, such forfeiture cannot thwart the specific terms contemplated in a plea agreement. The court must reconsider the motion and either resentence the defendant in a manner that effectuates the plea agreement after accounting for the DOC forfeiture, or allow withdrawal of the plea.
[1] A trial court may enforce a plea agreement by resentencing a defendant when the Department of Corrections' actions thwart the intent of the agreement.
[2] When a defendant's gain time is forfeited by the Department of Corrections after a probation violation, and this forfeiture thwarts the original plea agreement, the defen…
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Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligence“However, such a forfeiture cannot thwart the terms contemplated in a plea agreement.”
Establishes the core holding that DOC gain-time forfeiture must yield to negotiated plea agreement terms
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Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligenceDellofano pled guilty to aggravated battery with a weapon in June 2003 and received a 2-year sentence with 273 days credit for time served, followed b…
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THOMPSON, J.
Michael Dellofano seeks review of the summary denial of his May 2006 “Motion for Judicial Enforcement of Plea Agreement and Sentence Intent.” The trial court denied the motion in July 2006, and Dellofano timely appealed. We reverse.
Dellofano pled guilty to aggravated battery with a weapon causing great bodily harm in June 2003, and was sentenced to two years’ incarceration, with 273 days’ credit for time served, followed by 24 months of supervised probation. In September 2005, he admitted to a probation violation and was sentenced to 68 months’ incarceration with 793 days’ credit for time served. He contends this sentence was imposed pursuant to a negotiated plea and that the parties’ intent called for a sentence of 63 months with credit for 793 days. Dellofano subsequently learned that the Department of Corrections (“DOC”) forfeited 98 days of his previously earned credit under section 944.28, Florida Statutes. He argues that the forfeiture thwarted the intent of the parties and sentencing court, and that, had he known he must serve an additional 98 days, he would not have pled guilty to the violation.
Dellofano’s motion sought resentencing with 98 fewer days’ incarceration to effectuate the plea agreement. The trial court denied his motion:
[P]ursuant to Section 944.28(1), Florida Statutes, the [DOC] may, without notice or hearing, forfeit all gain-time earned by a prisoner upon his re-incarceration following a revocation of probation. Thus, it is very likely that despite the fact that this Court afforded Defendant substantial credit for time served, he may remain incarcerated beyond the date he has calculated as his proper release date because the [DOC] has decided to forfeit any previously earned gain-time. Hence, should Defendant seek to challenge the [DOC’s] forfeiture of his gain-time, he is advised to pursue administrative grievance procedures within the Department itself as such forfeiture is beyond this Court’s control.
Generally, the DOC may revoke gain-time without being countermanded by the court. See Barnett v. State, 933 So. 2d 1269 (Fla. 5th DCA 2006); Dellahoy v. State, 816 So. 2d 1253 (Fla. 5th DCA 2002); Jones v. State, 782 So. 2d 552 (Fla. 5th DCA 2001). However, such a forfeiture cannot thwart the terms contemplated in a plea agreement. See Barnett, 933 So. 2d at 1269; Dellahoy, 816 So. 2d at 1253. We vacate the trial court’s denial of Dellofa-no’s motion and remand for reconsideration. See Martin v. State, 816 So. 2d 1213 (Fla. 5th DCA 2002). If Dellofano’s allegations are correct, the trial court should either resentence him in a manner that effectuates the plea agreement after considering the DOC forfeiture of gain time or allow him to withdraw his plea. See Della-hoy, 816 So. 2d at 1253.
REVERSED.
PLEUS, C.J. concurs.
LAWSON, J., concurs specially, with opinion.
LAWSON, J.,
concurring specially.
There is no provision in the Florida Rules of Criminal Procedure for a “motion to enforce plea agreement.” Therefore, the only avenue available for an appellant to pursue his or her postconviction claim below is a motion filed pursuant to Florida Rule of Criminal Procedure 3.850. See Cichoski v. State, 874 So. 2d 695 (Fla. 4th DCA 2004) (affirming denial of motion to enforce plea agreement on grounds that motion is not authorized-by Florida Rules of Criminal Procedure); Seabrooks v. State, 817 So. 2d 934 (Fla. 4th DCA 2002) (same). I recognize that wé have entertained appeals from orders on motions to enforce plea agreements in the past, see, e.g., Barnett v. State, 933 So. 2d 1269 (Fla. 5th DCA 2006); Jones v. State, 782 So. 2d 552 (Fla. 5th DCA 2001), but I do not believe that we should continue to do so when there is no rule authorizing the motion. In other words, I agree with the Fourth District’s holdings in Ciehoski and Seabrooks.
In this case, however, Dellofano’s motion was filed under oath and within the deadline for filing a rule 3.850 motion. Because Dellofano’s motion in this case met the procedural requirements of rule 3.850, it should have been treated as such anyway. See, e.g., Reese v. State, 896 So. 2d 807, 808 (Fla. 3d DCA 2005); Gill v. State, 829 So. 2d 299, 300 (Fla. 2d DCA 2002) (“Where a movant files a properly pleaded claim but incorrectly styles the postconviction motion in which it was raised, the trial court must treat the claim as if it had been filed in a properly styled motion.”). Therefore, Dellofano’s error in styling the motion as a motion to enforce a plea agreement would have made no difference in this case.
As for the merits, I would note that Dellofano is not simply alleging that he misunderstood the potential consequence of gain time forfeiture upon entering his plea. Rather, he has alleged under oath that his plea bargain was specifically structured to assure that he would not suffer the loss of previously accrued gain time (which is why, he claims, the trial court expressly ordered day-for-day credit for all prior prison time, rather than simply ordering the Department of Corrections to credit him with his prior prison time). As such, Dellofano has stated a valid claim for relief under rule 3.850. Dellahoy v. State, 816 So. 2d 1253 (Fla. 5th DCA 2002). Because the trial court’s order fails to refute Dellofano’s sworn allegations, I agree with the majority that reversal is required.
Cases With Similar Vibessemantic neighbors from the corpus
Citator
Cited By (19 total)
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Sweet v. State, 987 So. 2d 747 (Fla. 2d DCA 2008)…ly addressed in a rule 3.800(a) motion. Because there is no procedure for a “motion to enforce a plea agreement,” this claim must be filed pursuant to rule 3.850. See Hettick v. State, 977 So. 2d 797 (Fla. 2d DCA 2008) (quoting Dellofano v. State, 946 So. 2d 127, 129 (Fla. 5th DCA 2007)). Sweet’s sentence is the product of a negotiated plea agreement and, although he is only trying to correct his sentence, withdrawal of his plea is a potential consequence. See Nedd v. State, 855 So. 2d 664 (Fla. 2d DCA 2003…
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Hettick v. State, 977 So. 2d 797 (Fla. 2d DCA 2008)…ule 3.800(a). The thrust of Mr. Hettick’s claim is that the trial court violated the terms of his negotiated plea agreement, rendering his plea involuntary. Properly pleaded, this type of claim is cognizable under rule 3.850. See Dellofano v. State, 946 So. 2d 127, 129 (Fla. 5th DCA 2007) (Lawson, J., concurring specially) (observing that because there is no procedure in the Florida Rules of Criminal Procedure for a “motion to enforce plea agreement,” the only avenue available to the movant is to file a claim…
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Devoid v. State, 987 So. 2d 219 (Fla. 5th DCA 2008)…he trial court did have the authority to enforce the plea agreement. The Department of Corrections may revoke gain time without being countermanded by the court, but such a forfeiture cannot thwart the terms of a plea agreement. Dellofano v. State, 946 So. 2d 127 (Fla. 5th DCA 2007). See also Barnett v. State, 933 So. 2d 1269 (Fla. 5th DCA 2006); Dellahoy v. State, 816 So. 2d 1253 (Fla. 5th DCA 2002). Mr. Devoid was, therefore, entitled to be resentenced in a manner that would have effectuated the plea agree…
Previewing 3 of 19 citing cases — full citator treatment, depth of discussion, and citing context are member features.
Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligenceAuthorities Cited
- Dellahoy v. State, 816 So. 2d 1253 (Fla. 5th DCA 2002)
- Miller Seabrooks v. State, 817 So. 2d 934 (Fla. 4th DCA 2002)
- Cooper v. State, 817 So. 2d 934 (Fla. 3d DCA 2002)
- Gill v. State, 829 So. 2d 299 (Fla. 2d DCA 2002)
- Jones v. State, 782 So. 2d 552 (Fla. 5th DCA 2001)
- Evans Reese v. State, 896 So. 2d 807 (Fla. 3d DCA 2005)
- Barnett v. State, 933 So. 2d 1269 (Fla. 5th DCA 2006)
- Baymon v. State, 933 So. 2d 1269 (Fla. 2d DCA 2006)
- Martin v. State, 816 So. 2d 1213 (Fla. 5th DCA 2002)
- Cichoski v. State, 874 So. 2d 695 (Fla. 4th DCA 2004)