JAMES E. WOOTEN, APPELLANT,
v.
STATE OF FLORIDA, APPELLEE

Fla. 2d DCA | 2010-06-11
No. 2D09-3231
YILLANTI and LaROSE, JJ., Concur.
36 So. 3d 187 Florida District Court of Appeal, Second District (2010) Positive Treatment
Cited by 2 cases

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Synopsis

James Wooten appeals from the dismissal without prejudice of his postconviction relief motion. The court clarified that such dismissals are nonfinal and nonappealable, and rejected the circuit court's erroneous advice that he had only 30 days to appeal.


Holding

A dismissal of a postconviction motion without prejudice is a nonfinal, nonappealable order. The circuit court's advisement that Wooten had only 30 days to appeal was legally incorrect. Wooten may refile his amended motion within 60 days as directed by the circuit court.


Headnotes

[1] A dismissal of a postconviction motion without prejudice, which contemplates further amendment or refiling before it can be considered on its merits, is a nonfinal, nonap…

[2] A circuit court may dismiss a postconviction motion without prejudice and permit the movant to refile an amended version within a specified time.

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Key Quotes

“That advice was legally incorrect.”

The court's holding that the circuit court's advisement that the appellant had only 30 days to appeal was erroneous.

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Facts & Procedural History

Wooten filed a motion for postconviction relief under Florida Rule of Criminal Procedure 3.850 based on claims related to his plea entry. The circuit …

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Opinion of the Court
ALTENBERND, Judge.

ORDER DISMISSING APPEAL

ALTENBERND, Judge.

James E. Wooten appeals from the dismissal without prejudice of his motion for postconviction relief filed pursuant to Florida Rule of Criminal Procedure 3.850. The circuit court judge found that all of his claims related to the entry of a plea were facially insufficient because Mr. Wooten did not specifically explain how he was prejudiced by his counsel’s deficient performance. The court appropriately dismissed the motion and permitted Mr. Wooten to refile an amended version within sixty days of the date of its order. Unfortunately, however, the court also advised Mr. Wooten that he had only thirty days to appeal the order. “That advice was legally incorrect.” See Callaghan v. State, 32 So.3d 72, 73 (Fla. 2d DCA 2009) (citing Lawrence v. State, 987 So.2d 157 (Fla. 2d DCA 2008)).

A dismissal of a postconviction motion without prejudice, which contemplates further amendment or refiling before it can be considered on its merits, is a nonfinal, *188nonappealable order. See Havens v. State, 27 So.3d 803, 804 (Fla. 2d DCA 2010); Christner v. State, 984 So.2d 561, 563 (Fla. 2d DCA 2008). It appears that Mr. Wooten has until sometime in November 2010 before his time to file motions under rule 3.850 will have expired. However, the circuit court’s admonition to refile the motion within a specific time has been approved by this court as a way to insure that rule 3.850 motions raising one or more claims are ripened and ready for disposition on the merits — and further appellate review if denied — in a timely and efficient manner. See Havens, 27 So.3d at 804; Christner, 984 So.2d at 563. Therefore, this court’s dismissal is without prejudice for Mr. Wooten to refile his amended motion in the circuit court within sixty days of the date on which this opinion becomes final.

YILLANTI and LaROSE, JJ., Concur.


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Citator

Cited By

  • Seadrick Moore v. State, 48 So. 3d 911 (Fla. 2d DCA 2010)
    …d this court does not know whether he also filed an amended motion. This court has previously held that it is improper to inform a defendant of a right to appeal when the order is a nonfinal order authorizing an amended motion. See Wooten v. State, 36 So. 3d 187 (Fla. 2d DCA 2010). We must dismiss this appeal as an appeal from a nonfinal, nonap-pealable order. On remand, Mr. Moore shall have thirty days from the issuance of mandate to file an amended motion. We comment that Mr. Moore filed his motion in Oc…

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