Caleb Andrew Fernandez v. State of Florida
CourtDistrict Court of Appeal of Florida
Date FiledNovember 30, 2022
Docket2D22-1039
StatusPublished
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Full Opinion
DISTRICT COURT OF APPEAL OF FLORIDA
SECOND DISTRICT
CALEB ANDREW FERNANDEZ,
Appellant,
v.
STATE OF FLORIDA,
Appellee.
No. 2D22-1039
November 30, 2022
Appeal pursuant to Fla. R. App. P. 9.141(b)(3) from the Circuit
Court for Collier County; Ramiro Manalich, Judge.
Howard L. Dimmig, II, Public Defender, and Dane K. Chase, Special
Assistant Public Defender, Bartow, for Appellant.
Ashley Moody, Attorney General, Tallahassee, and Linsey Sims-
Bohnenstiehl, Tampa, for Appellee.
SILBERMAN, Judge.
Caleb Andrew Fernandez appeals an order denying his motion
and amended motion for postconviction relief filed under Florida
Rule of Criminal Procedure 3.850. In his motions, Fernandez raised
three claims of ineffective assistance of trial counsel. We affirm the
order on appeal to the extent that it denies claim two. We reverse
the order on appeal to the extent that it summarily denies claims
one and three and remand for specific consideration of those
claims.
As to Fernandez's initial motion, the postconviction court
ordered the State to respond. The State did so, arguing that claims
one and two were facially insufficient and should be stricken with
leave to amend and that claim three should be denied because the
arguments therein were conclusively refuted by the record and
speculative. The postconviction court then entered an order
striking claims one and two as facially insufficient with leave to
amend. The order did not address claim three.
Fernandez filed an amended motion, amending claims one and
two, and the postconviction court directed the State to respond.
The State's response argued that the court should deny claim one
and set claim two for an evidentiary hearing. The postconviction
court entered an order directing an evidentiary hearing on claim
two. As to claim one, the order states that "the Court will make a
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ruling in the final Order resolving this matter." The order makes no
reference to claim three.
Following an evidentiary hearing, the postconviction court
entered the order on appeal denying claim two and setting forth its
rationale. The court also denied claims one and three "for the
reasons set forth in the previous order." However, the
postconviction court never stated its rationale for denying claims
one and three in any of its orders.
The State correctly concedes that the postconviction court
erred by summarily denying claims one and three without
explanation, requiring this court to reverse the summary denial of
those claims and to remand for further proceedings. See Roberts v.
State, 113 So. 3d 868, 869 (Fla. 2d DCA 2012). However,
Fernandez has not argued or demonstrated that the postconviction
court erred in denying claim two, thereby waiving review of the
denial of claim two. See Bilotti v. State, 27 So. 3d 798, 800 (Fla. 2d
DCA 2010); see also Cati v. State, 190 So. 3d 1157, 1158 (Fla. 2d
DCA 2016) (citing Bilotti for the foregoing proposition).
Accordingly, we affirm the order on appeal to the extent that it
denies claim two. We reverse the order on appeal to the extent that
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it summarily denies claims one and three and remand for specific
consideration of those claims. If the postconviction court again
summarily denies the claims, it shall explain the rationale for its
denial or attach those portions of the record that conclusively refute
the claims.
Affirmed in part, reversed in part, and remanded.
SLEET and SMITH, JJ., Concur.
Opinion subject to revision prior to official publication.
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