Joshua Lee Colley v. State of Florida
CourtDistrict Court of Appeal of Florida
Date FiledAugust 28, 2020
Docket1D19-2831
StatusPublished
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Full Opinion
FIRST DISTRICT COURT OF APPEAL
STATE OF FLORIDA
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No. 1D19-2831
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JOSHUA LEE COLLEY,
Appellant,
v.
STATE OF FLORIDA,
Appellee.
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On appeal from the Circuit Court for Okaloosa County.
Michael A. Flowers, Judge.
August 28, 2020
OSTERHAUS, J.
Joshua Lee Colley challenges his judgment and sentence after
admitting to a violation of his probation. Colley argues that the
plea colloquy at his violation of probation (VOP) hearing was not
proper under Florida Rule of Criminal Procedure 3.172(c), because
he was not apprised of the consequences of admitting to violating
the terms of his probation and because his plea wasn’t
intelligently, knowingly, and voluntarily entered. We reverse and
remand so that Colley can receive a proper colloquy. We do not
depart, however, from previous cases holding that rule 3.172 does
not apply in probation revocation proceedings.
Section 948.06(2)(a), Florida Statutes, sets forth the basic
duties of a trial court in a VOP proceeding where a probationer
admits to violating the terms of probation:
The court, upon the probationer or offender being
brought before it, shall advise him or her of such charge
of violation and, if such charge is admitted to be true, may
forthwith revoke, modify, or continue the probation or
community control or place the probationer into a
community control program.
Contrary to Colley’s argument, trial courts in probation revocation
proceedings need not apply rule 3.172, which sets forth procedures
for accepting guilty pleas in criminal prosecutions. See Arroyo v.
State, 200 So. 3d 250, 253 n.2 (Fla. 1st DCA 2016); see also Johnson
v. State, 776 So. 2d 1024, 1025 (Fla. 1st DCA 2001) (“Upon a guilty
plea to a probation violation, there is no requirement that a
determination be made as to the factual basis of the plea or that
the plea was freely and voluntarily given.”). Indeed, the law is clear
that probationers are not entitled to the full panoply of rights
guaranteed to defendants in criminal prosecutions. See Peters v.
State, 919 So. 2d 624, 626 (Fla. 1st DCA 2006) (citing Morrissey v.
Brewer, 408 U.S. 471, 480 (1972)).
Nevertheless, courts must follow other procedural
requirements in probation revocation proceedings. We have
recognized in particular that the minimum colloquy in such
proceedings “must inform the defendant of the allegations against
him, his right to counsel, and the consequences of an admission or
the right to a hearing and it shall afford him an opportunity to be
heard.” Johnson v. State, 107 So. 3d 1153, 1154 (Fla. 1st DCA
2013); Donaldson v. State, 219 So. 3d 996 (Fla. 1st DCA 2017); cf.
Davis v. State, 187 So. 3d 1284 (Fla. 1st DCA 2016) (reversing
because of a deficient guilty-plea colloquy under rule 3.172(c), as
well as a deficient VOP-admission colloquy); Haug v. State, 151 So.
3d 560, 561 (Fla. 1st DCA 2014) (same). In this case, because the
transcript indicates that Colley wasn’t apprised of the potential
consequences of his admission, we agree with his argument, and
with the State’s concession, that remand is necessary to provide
for a proper colloquy. See Donaldson, 219 So. 3d 996 (remanding
because the probationer wasn’t informed of the consequences of his
admission).
REVERSED and REMANDED.
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ROBERTS and M.K. THOMAS, JJ., concur.
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Not final until disposition of any timely and
authorized motion under Fla. R. App. P. 9.330 or
9.331.
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Andy Thomas, Public Defender, John Villafrate, Assistant Public
Defender, and Megan Long, Assistant Public Defender, and
Tallahassee, for Appellant.
Ashley Moody, Attorney General, and Heather Flanagan Ross,
Assistant Attorney General, Tallahassee, for Appellee.
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