State v. Hunsaker, 933 P.2d 415

PER CURIAM:

Defendant appeals the trial court’s judgment and order on his plea in abeyance agreement. We dismiss the ‍​‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌‍appeal for lack of jurisdiction.

A plea in abeyance is defined as an order by a court, upon motion of the prosecution and the defendant, accepting a plea of guilty or of no contest from ‍​‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌‍the defendant but not, at that time, entering judgment of conviction against him nor imposing sentence upon him on condition that he comply with specific conditions as set forth in a plea in abeyance agreement.

Utah Code ‍​‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌‍Ann. § 77-2a~l(l) (1995) (emphasis added). In criminal cases, the sentence itself is the final judgment from which an appeal can be taken. State v. Gerrard, 584 P.2d 885, 886 (Utah 1978). Because defendant has not been ‍​‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌‍sentenced, the appeal was not taken, from a final order, and this court lacks jurisdiction to consider the appeal. Further, this court recently stated that the plain language of section 77-2a-l “reveals that a ‍​‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌‍plea in abeyance is not a final adjudication.” State v. Moss, 921 P.2d 1021, 1025 n. 7 (Utah.Ct.App.1996).

Appeal dismissed.

Case Details

Case Name: State v. Hunsaker

Court Name: Court of Appeals of Utah

Date Published: Feb 21, 1997

Citations: 933 P.2d 415; 311 Utah Adv. Rep. 18; 1997 WL 71605; 1997 Utah App. LEXIS 15; 960234-CA

Docket Number: 960234-CA

Court Abbreviation: Utah Ct. App.