GUILLERMO CASTANEDA, APPELLANT,
v.
THE STATE OF FLORIDA, ET AL., APPELLEES

Fla. 3d DCA | 2012-01-18
No. 3D10-3159
Before SALTER, EMAS, and FERNANDEZ, JJ.
77 So. 3d 862 Florida District Court of Appeal, Third District (2012) Positive Treatment
Cited by 3 cases

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Synopsis

Guillermo Castaneda appealed his conviction and sentence for direct criminal contempt. The Florida District Court of Appeal reversed because the trial court failed to provide Castaneda with the opportunity to present evidence of mitigating circumstances before sentencing, violating Florida Rule of Criminal Procedure 3.830.


Holding

The trial court failed to comply with step four of Rule 3.830, which requires that the defendant be given the opportunity to present evidence of excusing or mitigating circumstances. This failure constituted fundamental error, and Castaneda's sentence must be reversed and the case remanded for proper proceedings.


Headnotes

[1] A defendant accused of direct criminal contempt must be given the opportunity to present evidence of excusing or mitigating circumstances before sentencing.

[2] Florida Rule of Criminal Procedure 3.830 outlines the procedural requirements for adjudicating and sentencing direct criminal contempt.

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Key Quotes

“The defendant shall be given the opportunity to present evidence of excusing or mitigating circumstances.”

This is step four of the six-step requirement in Florida Rule of Criminal Procedure 3.830 for direct criminal contempt proceedings, which the trial court failed to follow.

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Facts & Procedural History

Castaneda engaged in contemptuous conduct in the actual presence of the trial court. The trial court found Castaneda guilty of direct criminal contemp…

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Opinion of the Court
FERNANDEZ, J.

FERNANDEZ, J.

Guillermo Castaneda appeals his judgment of conviction and sentence for direct criminal contempt. We reverse because the trial court failed to give Castaneda the opportunity to present evidence of mitigating circumstances.

It is clear from the record that Castaneda’s behavior was contemptuous, and we do not disturb this aspect of the trial court’s determination. Castaneda, however, was entitled to an opportunity to present evidence of excusing or mitigating circumstances before the trial court imposed its sentence.

Florida Rule of Criminal Procedure 3.830 outlines the requirements for an adjudication and sentence for direct criminal contempt. The trial court must follow six steps in order to comply with rule 3.830:

1. Direct criminal contempt may be punished summarily if the court saw or heard the conduct constituting the contempt committed in the actual presence of the court.
2. The judgment of guilt shall include a recital of those facts upon which the adjudication of guilt is based.
3. Prior to the adjudication of guilt, the judge shall inform the defendant of the accusation against him and inquire as to whether he has any cause to show why he should not be adjudged guilty of con*863tempt by the court and sentenced therefor.
4. The defendant shall be given the opportunity to present evidence of excusing or mitigating circumstances.
5. The judgment shall be signed by the judge and entered of record.
6. The sentence shall be pronounced in open court.

See Al-Hakim v. State, 53 So.3d 1171, 1173 (Fla. 2d DCA 2011); J.A.H. v. State, 20 So.3d 425, 427 (Fla. 1st DCA 2009); Fisher v. State, 482 So.2d 587, 588 (Fla. 1st DCA 1986).

Here, the trial court did not comply with step four. The trial court asked Castaneda if he could think of any reason why he shouldn’t be put in jail for using the kind of language he used and for his behavior. The trial court, however, failed to give Castaneda the opportunity to present evidence to mitigate his sentence. Consequently, the trial court failed to follow the mandates of rule 3.830. This rule “define[s] the essence of due process in criminal contempt and must be scrupulously followed.” Bouie v. State, 784 So.2d 521, 523 (Fla. 4th DCA 2001). Failure to scrupulously follow the rule constituted fundamental error. Bonet v. State, 937 So.2d 209, 210 (Fla. 3d DCA 2006); Hibbert v. State, 929 So.2d 622, 623 (Fla. 3d DCA 2006); Garrett v. State, 876 So.2d 24, 25 (Fla. 1st DCA 2004).

We therefore reverse Castaneda’s sentence for direct criminal contempt and remand to the trial court for proper criminal contempt proceedings. If Castaneda has already served his sentence, the trial court shall not interpret our opinion to require that Castaneda be brought back into custody for resentencing. Should the trial court determine that it wishes to reinstate the judgment of contempt, the trial court shall conduct a hearing, upon proper notice to Castaneda, and give him an opportunity to present mitigating or excusing evidence. If Castaneda fails to appear for this hearing after proper notice, the trial court may re-enter the judgment, having determined that Castaneda waived the opportunity to present mitigating evidence.

Reversed and remanded.


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Citator

Cited By

  • Mickey Woodson v. State, 109 So. 3d 866 (Fla. 3d DCA 2013)
    …court failed to adhere to the strict requirements of rule 3.830 [*868] when it conducted the contempt proceeding and pronounced sentence. We outlined the steps that must be taken to comply with the requirements of rule 3.830 in Castaneda v. State, 77 So. 3d 862 (Fla. 3d DCA 2012). The procedural requirements are as follows: 1. Direct criminal contempt may be punished summarily if the court saw or heard the conduct constituting the contempt committed in the actual presence of the court. 2. The judgment of…
  • J.D.J. v. State, 120 So. 3d 229 (Fla. 4th DCA 2013)

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