County Criminal Court: CRIMINAL PROCEDURE – Post Conviction Relief. Defendant was not entitled to withdraw his plea because collateral consequences of a plea, such as a subsequent change in the law precluding defendant from obtaining a driver’s license, have no bearing on the voluntariness of the plea. Order denying relief affirmed. Taylor v. State, No. CRC 05-71 APANO, (Fla. 6th Cir.App.Ct. Jan. 10, 2006).

 

 

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE SIXTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT

OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA IN AND FOR PINELLAS COUNTY

 

TERRY ROLAND TAYLOR

 

            Appellant,

Appeal No. CRC 05-71 APANO

                                                                              UCN522005AP000071XXXXCR

v.

 

STATE OF FLORIDA

 

            Appellee.

______________________________/

 

Opinion filed __________________.

 

Appeal from a decision of the

Pinellas County Court

County Judge John Carballo

 

Elton Gissendanner, III, Esq.

Attorney for appellant

 

Kristen Howatt, Esq.

Assistant State Attorney

ORDER AND OPINION

(J. Sullivan)

THIS MATTER is before the Court on the defendant, Terry Taylor’s, appeal from

the denial of his motion for post-conviction relief. After reviewing the briefs and record, this Court affirms the decision of the trial court.

            The defendant entered a guilty plea to DUI charges back in 1986. The DUI was the defendant’s fourth DUI conviction. He claims that he entered his plea because his attorney told him that he would someday be eligible to have his driver’s license reinstated. A decade or so later, however, the law was changed. The result was that anyone who had been convicted of four or more DUI’s became ineligible to have their driver’s licenses reinstated. The defendant filed a motion to vacate his 1986 plea because he claimed it was involuntary as a result of the change in the law. The defendant is appealing the trial court’s denial of that motion.

 A recent case precludes relief. In Cornelius v. State, 913 So.2d 1176 (Fla. 4th DCA 2005), the defendant sought to have his plea set aside because of the change in the driver’s licensure statute. The appellate court denied relief, finding that “the possibility of a reinstatement of driving privilege is not a direct consequence of the plea.” Id. at 1177. Only direct consequences of a plea must be properly explained to a defendant. Collateral consequences of a plea have no bearing on the voluntariness of a plea. Therefore, the trial court was correct to deny the defendant’s motion to set aside his plea.

            IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED that the order denying the defendant’s motion for post-conviction relief is affirmed.

            DONE AND ORDERED in Chambers at Clearwater, Pinellas County, Florida this _____ day of December, 2005.

                                                                        ____________________________

                                                                                    David A. Demers

                                                                                    Circuit Judge

 

 

                                                                        ____________________________

                                                                                    Robert J. Morris, Jr.

                                                                                    Circuit Judge

 

 

                                                                        ____________________________

                                                                                    Irene H. Sullivan

                                                                                    Circuit Judge

cc:        State Attorney

 

            Elton Gissendanner, III, Esq.