Matthews v. State, 2017 Ark. App. 25

Jackie Renay Matthews pled no-contest in 2012 to aggravated assault (Class D) and received 60 months’ probation.
The State filed multiple petitions to revoke Matthews’s probation for failures to report, update information, pay fines/costs, and complete anger-management/drug-treatment requirements.
Matthews admitted violations and signed revocation plea statements in 2013 and 2014, each resulting in continued probation terms.
A third revocation petition (filed December 2014) led to a 2016 revocation hearing; Matthews was sentenced to 36 months in the DOC with 24 months suspended.
Matthews appealed the revocation; appellate counsel filed a no-merit brief and moved to withdraw under Anders/Ark. Sup. Ct. R. 4-3(k), notifying Matthews of her right to file pro se points—she did not.

Issue	Plaintiff's Argument	Defendant's Argument	Held
Whether Matthews may appeal from her guilty/plea-based revocation	The State maintained the revocation and sentence were proper (no specific argument to overturn).	Matthews offered no pro se points after counsel’s Anders brief; no meritorious appellate issues identified.	Appeal dismissed: guilty-plea appeals are barred except in narrow exceptions, none of which applied.

Anders v. California, 386 U.S. 738 (U.S. 1967) (standards for counsel withdrawing via a no-merit brief)
Burgess v. State, 490 S.W.3d 645 (Ark. 2016) (explains limited exceptions allowing appeals from guilty pleas)
Johnson v. State, 2010 Ark. 63 (Ark. 2010) (addresses appeals from guilty pleas and related exceptions)
King v. State, 2013 Ark. App. 342 (Ark. App. 2013) (discusses post-plea evidentiary/sentencing issues that may be appealable)

Appeal dismissed; counsel’s motion to withdraw granted.