Desmond Hallman v. State of Florida
CourtDistrict Court of Appeal of Florida
Date FiledOctober 7, 2026
Docket3D2026-0581
StatusPublished
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Full Opinion
Third District Court of Appeal
State of Florida
Opinion filed October 7, 2026.
Not final until disposition of timely filed motion for rehearing.
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No. 3D26-0581
Lower Tribunal No. F03-5785B
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Desmond Hallman,
Appellant,
vs.
State of Florida,
Appellee.
An Appeal under Florida Rule of Appellate Procedure 9.141(b)(2) from
the Circuit Court for Miami-Dade County, Miguel M. de la O, Judge.
Desmond Hallman, in proper person.
James Uthmeier, Attorney General, and Lourdes Bibiana Fernandez,
Assistant Attorney General, for appellee.
Before SCALES, C.J., and FERNANDEZ and BOKOR, JJ.
PER CURIAM.
We affirm on at least two independent bases. First, a claim of denial of
counselโs presence at sentencing is not a sentencing error and therefore not
cognizable under Florida Rule of Criminal Procedure 3.800(a). Jackson v.
State, 983 So. 2d 562, 574 (Fla. 2008). Second, Hallman has raised this
issue multiple times, and this court has been clear that โ[b]ecause this
correction [and resentencing] is a ministerial act, the defendant shall be
represented by counsel but need not be personally present.โ Hallman v.
State, 41 So. 3d 1060, 1062 (Fla. 3d DCA 2010); see also Hallman v. State,
357 So. 3d 1214 (Fla. 3d DCA 2023) (affirming per curiam the identical issue
regarding entitlement to resentencing because he was not present at 2011
resentencing).
Because this issue has been raised and addressed by this court
multiple times, we caution Mr. Hallman that any additional frivolous pro se
pleadings related to Lower Tribunal No. F03-5785B may result in the
imposition of sanctions, including prohibition of the filing of pleadings in this
court absent the signature of a member in good standing of the Florida Bar
and the forfeiture of gain time. See OโHaver v. State, 944 So. 2d 498 (Fla.
3d DCA 2006).
Affirmed.
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