COURTNEY DESMOND ZIELER, APPELLANT,
v.
STATE OF FLORIDA, APPELLEE
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Courtney Desmond Zieler appeals his conviction for resisting without violence, burglary of a dwelling, and grand theft. The Fourth District Court of Appeal reversed and remanded because the trial court failed to rule on a pending competency evaluation despite ordering one, violating the defendant's right to a competency hearing when reasonable grounds exist.
The trial court erred by failing to conduct a competency hearing and rule on the competency issue. Once a trial court has reasonable grounds to believe a criminal defendant is not competent to proceed, it must conduct a competency hearing. The conviction and sentence are reversed and remanded for the trial court to determine competency retroactively based on evidence at the time of trial or conduct a new trial if the defendant is found competent.
[1] A trial court must conduct a competency hearing once it has reasonable grounds to believe a criminal defendant is not competent to proceed.
[2] A trial court's failure to rule on a pending competency issue, despite ordering an evaluation, warrants reversal and remand.
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Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligence“[O]nce a trial court has reasonable grounds to believe that a criminal defendant is not competent to proceed, it has no choice but to conduct a competency hearing.”
Establishes the mandatory duty of trial courts to conduct competency hearings when reasonable grounds exist.
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Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligenceThe defendant was charged with grand theft auto, burglary of a dwelling, and resisting an officer without violence. Defense counsel moved for a compet…
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The defendant appeals his conviction and sentence for resisting without violence, burglary of a dwelling, and third degree grand theft. He argues the trial court erred in three ways: (1) failing to rule on his competency; (2) denying his motion for judgment of acquittal; and (3) instructing the jury on recently stolen property. We find merit in his argument that the trial court erred in failing to rule on a pending competency issue, but no merit in the remaining issues. We reverse and remand.
The State charged the defendant with grand theft auto, burglary of a dwelling, and resisting an officer without violence. While the charges were pending, the defendant moved for a competency examination. Defense counsel argued the de*1191fendant had a .documented intellectual disability, was unable to describe the role of a judge or jury, was unable to provide pertinent facts, and did not appreciate the nature of the possible penalties. The court granted the motion.
Within the order, the court named an evaluator and requested a report be submitted to the court. At a later status hearing, the court minutes note that the competency issue was addressed, but the record fails to reflect that the competency evaluation had been conducted or a report received.
A new judge presided at the following status hearing, and a new prosecutor appeared for the State. The same defense counsel, who filed the motion for competency evaluation, represented the defendant throughout trial and sentencing.
The record fails to reflect that either judge ruled on the competency issue.
The defendant was convicted. The trial court sentenced the defendant to twenty years in prison. From his conviction and sentence, the defendant appeals.
The defendant argues the trial court erred in failing to determine his competency after having reasonable grounds to do so. While the trial court ordered an evaluation, no report was ever filed and no hearing was conducted. The State responds that the trial court granted the defendant’s request for a competency evaluation. It suggests that the hearing may have taken place, but concedes we should remand for a retroactive determination of competency, if possible.
We have de novo review. Presley v. State, 199 So.3d 1014, 1017 (Fla. 4th DCA 2016).
“[O]nce a trial court has reasonable grounds to believe that a criminal defendant is not competent to proceed, it has no choice but to conduct a competency hearing.” Monte v. State, 51 So.3d 1196, 1202 (Fla. 4th DCA 2011); Fla. R. Crim. P. 3.210-3.212.
Our recent decision in Silver v. State, 193 So.3d 991 (Fla. 4th. DCA 2016) is instructive. There, the trial court appointed two experts to examine the defendant for competency, but neither did so. Id. at 993. The record contained orders appointing the experts and requiring written evaluations, but no reports, competency hearings, or later orders on the matter. Id. “The fact that the experts’ reports were not filed and the trial court did not adjudicate [the defendant] competent to proceed ... entitled him to a reversal on direct appeal.” Id.
Here, the defendant had a documented intellectual disability. Defense counsel advised that the defendant was unable to communicate adequately with counsel and did not understand the proceedings or penalties. The trial court found these grounds reasonable and ordered a competency evaluation. But, no report was filed, no hearing was conducted, and no order was entered.
We therefore reverse and remand the case to the trial court. If the evidence at the time of trial indicates that the defendant was competent at the time, then the trial court may make that determination nunc pro tunc and reimpose the conviction and sentence. Silver, 193 So.3d at 994. If not, the trial court must adjudicate the defendant’s current competency. Id. Should the trial court determine he is competent, it must conduct a new trial. Id.
Reversed and Remanded.
Klingensmith and Kuntz, JJ., concur.
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Citator
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Raithel v. State, 226 So. 3d 1028 (Fla. 4th DCA 2017)…itated the defendant to the extent possible. However, both the rules of criminal procedure and case law require a hearing and a judicial determination of the defendant’s competency once the defendant’s competency is questioned. See Zieler v. State, 220 So. 3d 1190, 1191 (Fla. 4th DCA 2017); Dougherty v. State, 149 So. 3d 672, 677 (Fla. 2014); Fla. R. Crim. P. 3.210-3.212. It is apparent that this circuit has employed a process which allows defense counsel to waive a competency hearing and request such a hear…
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Zieler v. State (Fla. 4th DCA 2019)…. 3d [991, 994 (Fla. 4th DCA 2016)]. If not, the trial court must adjudicate the defendant’s ---PAGE 2--- 2 current competency. Id. Should the trial court determine he is competent, it must conduct a new trial. Id. Zieler v. State (Zieler I), 220 So. 3d 1190, 1191 (Fla. 4th DCA 2017).1 On remand, the circuit court held a hearing to determine whether it could make a nunc pro tunc competency determination. After the hearing, the court entered an order finding the defendant competent at the time of trial…
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Vernson Edward Dortch v. State (Fla. 4th DCA 2018)
Authorities Cited
- Monte v. State, 51 So. 3d 1196 (Fla. 4th DCA 2011)
- Presley v. State, 199 So. 3d 1014 (Fla. 4th DCA 2016)
- Kendrick Silver v. State, 193 So. 3d 991 (Fla. 4th DCA 2016)