Renoit SAINTELIEN, Petitioner,
v.
STATE of Florida, Respondent.
Supreme Court of Florida.
*495 Beverly A. Pohl of Broad and Cassel, P.A., Fort Lauderdale, FL, for Petitioner.
Bill McCollum Attorney General, and Celia Terenzio, Senior Assistant Attorney General, Bureau Chief, and Daniel P. Hyndman, Assistant Attorney General, West Palm Beach, FL, for Respondent.
PER CURIAM.
The district courts are in conflict regarding whether a challenge to a sexual predator designation imposed pursuant to section 775.21(5), Florida Statutes (2003), may be raised in a Florida Rule of Criminal Procedure 3.800(a) motion to correct an illegal sentence filed in criminal court. See Saintelien v. State,
FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND
On September 5, 2003, Saintelien was sentenced to two counts of attempted sexual battery on a child less than twelve years of age. Subsequently, the trial court entered an order designating Saintelien as a sexual predator. Saintelien later filed a motion to correct an illegal sentence pursuant to rule 3.800(a), seeking to vacate his sexual predator designation.[2] He alleged that the designation exceeded the terms of his plea agreement. The trial court denied Saintelien's motion.
The Fourth District affirmed, reasoning that because a sexual predator designation is neither a sentence nor a punishment, it cannot be challenged by filing a motion to correct an illegal sentence in criminal court. Rather, it held that such challenges *496 must be raised in separate civil proceedings. Saintelien,
DISCUSSION
At the outset, we note that a defendant has the opportunity to appeal an order imposing a sexual predator designation under Florida Rule of Appellate Procedure 9.140(b)(1)(D), which grants appellate jurisdiction over criminal court orders "entered after final judgment or finding of guilt." See State v. Robinson,
As stated earlier, the conflict issue we must resolve is whether a challenge to a sexual predator designation imposed pursuant to section 775.21(5) may be raised in a rule 3.800(a) motion to correct an illegal sentence filed in criminal court. Because this is a pure question of law, we review it de novo. See State v. McBride,
The First and Fourth Districts prohibit sexual predator designation challenges under the criminal postconviction rules because those rules provide vehicles for challenging sentences,[3] and a sexual predator designation is not a sentence or punishment but merely a status. See Boyer,
[i]f the sexual predator designation were merely a civil proceeding somehow appended to a criminal case and either a declaratory judgment action or a Rule 1.540 motion were the only vehicles for relief, the time frames would expand greatly, the difficulty and cost of the proceedings would explode, the judge evaluating the claim of error may well have no knowledge of the law or prior proceedings, indigent defendants would be pro se and who knows who would represent the State.
Id.
The impracticality of requiring such challenges to be raised in separate civil *497 proceedings is illustrated in Judge Altenbernd's opinion in King. As he explains, the Second District originally prohibited sexual predator designation challenges in criminal postconviction proceedings, see
In light of the above, we hold that a defendant may seek correction of an allegedly erroneous sexual predator designation by filing a rule 3.800(a) motion to correct an illegal sentence in criminal court. See King,
In this case, Saintelien's rule 3.800(a) motion sought to vacate his sexual predator designation. We agree with the trial court's denial of his motion because the record shows that Saintelien met the criteria for designation as a sexual predator.
CONCLUSION
For the foregoing reasons, we approve the result of the Fourth District's decision in Saintelien affirming the trial court's denial of Saintelien's 3.800(a) motion to correct an illegal sentence. We also approve the opinions of the Second and Fifth Districts in King and Kidd to the extent that a rule 3.800(a) motion may be used to challenge a sexual predator designation when it is apparent from the face of the record that the defendant did not meet the criteria for designation as a sexual predator.
It is so ordered.
ANSTEAD, PARIENTE, LEWIS, and BELL, JJ., concur.
CANTERO, J., concurs in result only with an opinion, in which WELLS, J., concurs.
QUINCE, C.J., concurs in result only.
*498 CANTERO, J., concurring in result only.
I agree with the majority that the defendant is not entitled to relief. I also agree that civil proceedings such as declaratory judgment actions are ill-suited for challenging sexual predator designations and have proven unworkable. Therefore, like the majority, I would also disapprove the opinion below. Finally, I agree with the majority that challenges to sexual offender designations may be brought on direct appeal under Florida Rule of Appellate Procedure 9.140(b)(1)(d) as orders entered after conviction.
I disagree with the majority, however, that Florida Rule of Criminal Procedure 3.800(a), which permits challenges only to very limited types of sentencing issues, may be used to challenge sexual predator designations. The majority's resolution of this issue thrusts the law from one end of the spectrum to the other. Under the majority's reasoning, not only may sexual predator designations be challenged in criminal proceedings, they can now be filed, as can all motions filed under rule 3.800(a), "at any time."
To the extent the majority seeks a pragmatic approach that permits challenges to be resolved by the same trial court that imposed the designation, it is rule 3.800 (b), not rule 3.800 (a), that would fulfill that role. The majority's resolution not only deviates from the plain language of rule 3.800(a), but removes any time limit to filing such claims, creating as many problems as it solves.
Below, I(A) explain why rule 3.800(a) cannot be used to challenge sexual predator designations; and (B) submit that if any rule should be used to permit trial courts to reconsider designations, it should be rule 3.800(b).
A. Sexual Predator Designations May Not Be Challenged Under Rule 3.800(a)
Some courts have held that challenges to sexual predator designations must be filed in separate civil proceedings. See Saintelien v. State,
*499 Therefore, a mechanism already exists for challenging sexual predator designations. I agree with the majority that the defendant may raise any error related to the designation on direct appeal from the order imposing it. As I now explain, however, the majority's decision to also allow such challenges under rule 3.800(a) is flawed. That rule allows defendants to challenge certain limited sentencing issues. But we have held that a sexual predator designation is not a sentence. Therefore, rule 3.800(a) cannot apply. The majority's interpretation deviates from the rule's plain language and creates as many problems as it solves.
Apparently because more than two years had expired since his sexual predator designation, the defendant challenged his designation under rule 3.800(a). That rule allows a court to correct certain egregious sentencing errors, such as illegal sentences, "at any time." The full rule states:
A court may at any time correct an illegal sentence imposed by it, or an incorrect calculation made by it in a sentencing scoresheet, or a sentence that does not grant proper credit for time served when it is affirmatively alleged that the court records demonstrate on their face an entitlement to that relief, provided that a party may not file a motion to correct an illegal sentence under this subdivision during the time allowed for the filing of a motion under subdivision (b)(1) or during the pendency of a direct appeal. All orders denying motions under this subdivision shall include a statement that the movant has the right to appeal within 30 days of rendition of the order.
Fla. R.Crim. P. 3.800(a) (emphasis added). A challenge to a sexual predator designation clearly is not an error in the "sentencing scoresheet" or a "sentence that does not grant proper credit for time served." Therefore, defendants may invoke rule 3.800(a) only if these designations constitute "illegal sentences."
Few types of sentences have been held to be "illegal." For purposes of the rule, a sentence is only illegal if it "impose[s] a kind of punishment that no judge under the entire body of sentencing statutes could possibly inflict under any set of factual circumstances." Carter v. State,
As the statute itself states, and we have acknowledged, a sexual predator designation is neither a sentence nor a punishment. See, e.g., § 775.21(3)(d), Fla. Stat. (2007) ("The designation of a person as a sexual predator is neither a sentence nor a punishment, but simply a status resulting from the conviction of certain crimes."); State v. Partlow,
The majority acknowledges that a sexual predator designation is not a sentence. Majority op. at 496. Therefore, our flirtation with rule 3.800(a) should end there. If the majority believes that the rule should be available to contest sexual predator designations, it should ask a rules committee to suggest changes to the rule, or change the rule itself. See Fla. R. Jud. Admin. 2.140(d) (permitting changes in court rules on an emergency basis), 2.140(f) (providing for requests for consideration by rules committees); E.T. v. State,
Rather than apply the rule's plain language, the majority reasons that "it doesn't much matter that a sexual predator designation is not a sentence or punishment" because "our criminal trial courts make the designation at (or shortly after) sentencing on the qualifying offense(s)." Majority op. at 496 (quoting Nicholson v. State,
The majority's decision to permit the use of rule 3.800(a) for these purposes is based on a flawed premise. The majority reasons that "[w]hen a claim of a sexual predator designation error is made, the trial judge who made the designation is the one in the best position to evaluate the claim and to correct the error." Majority op. at 496 (quoting Nicholson,
[i]f the sexual predator designation were merely a civil proceeding somehow appended to a criminal case and either a declaratory judgment action or a Rule 1.540 motion were the only vehicles for relief, the time frames would expand greatly, the difficulty and cost of the proceedings would explode, the judge evaluating the claim of error may well have no knowledge of the law or prior proceedings, indigent defendants would be pro se and who knows who would represent the State.
Majority op. at 496-97 (quoting Nicholson,
The majority's quote from Nicholson is problematic. Nicholson held that sexual predator designations may be challenged under rule 3.800 (b), not rule 3.800 (a).
The problem with the majority's application of rule 3.800(a) is that it fails to cure the problems it identifies. To the contrary, it may exacerbate them. The majority's application of the rule allows challenges to designations to be made "at any time"even long after the designation has been made. Therefore, many of the same problems the majority identifies with use of civil proceedings will remain: the time frames will expand greatly (in fact, infinitely), the judge evaluating the claim of error may well have no knowledge of the law or prior proceedings, and indigent defendants may represent themselves pro se. The decision accomplishes little.
Precisely because rule 3.800(a) imposes no deadlines, it was designed to apply only in very narrow circumstances. The majority now elevates what is concededly not a sentence at all, or even a punishment, to the level of illegal sentences.
The majority's decision is based on another flawed premise: that sexual predator designations are made "at (or shortly after) sentencing on the qualifying offense(s)." Majority op. at 496. This is not always the case. Where the trial court does not make the finding at sentencing, it can be made later. See § 775.21(5)(c), Fla. Stat. (2007); Therrien v. State,
For these reasons, I would hold that sexual predator designations cannot be challenged under rule 3.800(a).
B. Extending Rule 3.800(b)
The majority's desire to have the trial judge who made the designation correct any errors is understandable. Rule 3.800(b), however, is better suited for that purpose. The rule allows the filing of a "motion to correct any sentencing error, including an illegal sentence," before filing an appeal or, when an appeal is pending, before the first brief is filed. Florida Rule of Appellate Procedure 9.140(e) in turn provides that "[a] sentencing error may not be raised on appeal unless the alleged error has first been brought to the attention of the lower tribunal: (1) at the time of sentencing; or (2) by motion pursuant *502 to Florida Rule of Criminal Procedure 3.800(b)."
Recently, we reiterated that the goal of rule 3.800(b) is "to ensure that sentencing errors are brought to the trial court's attention at the earliest opportunity." Jackson,
When a sentence is erroneous, it is more efficient to address the issue in the trial court first, where it can be quickly remedied. In many circumstances, however, defendants do not have the opportunity to object or otherwise address the trial court before the sentencing order is entered. . . . Before rule 3.800(b), however, no mechanism existed for the defendant to remedy the error in the trial court. The only remedy was to appeal the sentence. The rule was designed to remedy that institutional inefficiency.
Jackson,
In Jackson, we dealt with the problems courts were having in applying rule 3.800(b). Some of them interpreted the rule broadly, allowing challenges to any rulings that occurred at any point of the sentencing processsuch as the admission of evidence at the sentencing hearing. See, e.g., Yisrael v. State,
Although sexual predator designations are not "sentencing errors" (because they are not sentences at all), at least they arguably constitute "errors related to the ultimate sanctions imposed." Therefore, to the extent the majority seeks a pragmatic approach that allows defendants an efficient method to challenge sexual predator designations, in addition to rule 9.140(b)(1)(D), rule 3.800(b) (which was designed to serve that exact function with respect to sentencing errors) better fulfills that purpose.
C. Conclusion
For the reasons explained above, I agree with the majority that challenges to sexual predator designations cannot be brought in separate civil proceedings. I also agree that these designations may be challenged on direct appeal from the order imposing the designation. I disagree, however, with the majority's extension of rule 3.800(a). To the extent the majority desires to allow the trial court that imposed the designation to consider such claims, rule 3.800(b) best serves that function. I therefore would disapprove the opinion below, but I would also disapprove one of the conflicting cases, King v. State,
WELLS, J., concurs.
NOTES
Notes
[1] We have jurisdiction. See art. V, § 3(b)(4), Fla. Const.
[2] We note that Saintelien only seeks to vacate his designation as a sexual predator. He does not seek to withdraw his plea.
[3] See, e.g., Fla. R.Crim. P. 3.800(a)-(b), 3.850.
[4] We will refer the issue raised in this case to the appropriate committee(s) to consider whether it would be appropriate or desirable to amend the procedural rules.
[5] We decided Robinson before the Legislature added subsections (4)(d) and (5)(a)(1) to section 775.21. See Ch. 2004-371, § 1, Laws of Fla. These subsections provide for designation as a sexual predator at the time a person is determined to be a sexually violent predator in a civil commitment proceeding under chapter 394. Id.; see also §§ 394.910-.932, Fla. Stat. (2007) ("Involuntary Civil Commitment of Sexually Violent Predators"). We need not consider here the procedural mechanism for challenging a designation imposed in such proceedings. Just as rule 9.140(b)(1)(D) can be used to challenge sexual predator designations on direct appeal when ordered as a result of criminal convictions, I assume such designations would be appealable under either rule 9.030(b)(1)(A) (providing that the district court shall review "final orders of trial courts") or rule 9.130(a)(4) (allowing appeals of nonfinal orders entered after a final order). See also § 394.9155(1), Fla. Stat. (2007) (providing that the Florida Rules of Civil Procedure apply to involuntary civil commitment proceedings); § 394.917(3), Fla. Stat. (2007) (providing that the public defender of the circuit in which a person is determined to be a sexually violent predator is appointed for appeal).
[6] The majority limits its holding to errors that are "apparent on the face of the record." Majority op. at 497. However, rule 3.800(a) is always limited to correcting errors apparent on the face of the record. Fla. R.App. P. 3.800(a); Renaud v. State,
[7] I would not disapprove Kidd v. State,
