Joseph Swift v. the State of Florida
CourtDistrict Court of Appeal of Florida
Date FiledApril 6, 2022
Docket3D20-1160
StatusPublished
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Full Opinion
Third District Court of Appeal
State of Florida
Opinion filed April 6, 2022.
Not final until disposition of timely filed motion for rehearing.
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No. 3D20-1160
Lower Tribunal No. F13-5321
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Joseph Swift,
Appellant,
vs.
The State of Florida,
Appellee.
An Appeal from the Circuit Court for Miami-Dade County, Richard
Hersch, Judge.
Carlos J. Martinez, Public Defender, and Susan S. Lerner, Assistant
Public Defender, for appellant.
Ashley Moody, Attorney General, and Ivy R. Ginsberg, Assistant
Attorneys General, for appellee.
Before LOGUE, SCALES, and GORDO, JJ.
PER CURIAM.
Joseph Swift appeals the trial court’s ruling that he was competent to
stand trial and separately contends that the trial court did not conduct a
reasonably thorough Faretta examination. We affirm. Woodbury v. State,
320 So. 3d 631, 644 (Fla. 2021) (“When a defendant claims a trial court failed
to order a competency hearing, either sua sponte or on request from a party,
we will uphold the court's determination absent an abuse of discretion.”);
Barnes v. State, 124 So. 3d 904, 913 (Fla. 2013) (holding that to be found
incompetent, a defendant must demonstrate “a present inability to assist
counsel or understand the charges”). However, because the trial court did
not enter a written order memorializing its May 22, 2019 on-the-record
finding that Mr. Swift was competent, as required by Florida Rule of Criminal
Procedure 3.212(b), we remand to the trial court to enter an order nunc pro
tunc to that date.
Affirmed, remanded with instructions.
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