Cazeau v. State

Supreme Court of Florida

Cazeau v. State

755 So. 2d 104, 25 Fla. L. Weekly Supp. 238, 2000 Fla. LEXIS 621, 2000 WL 297863

Supreme Court of Florida·Decided March 23, 2000·No. No. SC96554·Published

Opinion

PER CURIAM.

We have for review Cazeau v. State, 740 So.2d 1250 (Fla. 3d DCA 1999), in which the Third District Court of Appeal affirmed Jean Harrt Cazeau’s violent career criminal sentence based on its prior decision in Higgs v. State, 695 So.2d 872 (Fla. 3d DCA 1997). In so affirming, the Ca-zeau court certified conflict with the Second District Court of Appeal’s decision in Thompson v. State, 708 So.2d 315 (Fla. 2d DCA 1998). We have jurisdiction. See Art. V, § 3(b)(4), Fla. Const. Based on our decision in State v. Thompson, 750 So.2d 643 (Fla. 1999), in which we held unconstitutional chapter 95-182, Laws of Florida, as violative of the single subject rule, we quash the decision below and remand for resentencing in accordance with the valid laws in effect on September 5, 1996, the date on which Cazeau committed the underlying offense in this case.¹ See Thompson, 750 So.2d at 649 (remanding for resentencing in accordance with the valid laws in effect at the time the defendant committed her offenses).

It is so ordered.

HARDING, C.J., and SHAW, ANSTEAD, PARIENTE, LEWIS and QUINCE, JJ., concur. WELLS, J., dissents.

1

. We note that Cazeau has standing to raise a single subject rule challenge to chapter 95-182, Laws of Florida, even assuming the window period for raising such a challenge closed on October 1, 1996, as determined by the Fourth District Court of Appeal in Salters v. State, 731 So.2d 826, 826 (Fla. 4th DCA), review granted, 749 So.2d 503 (Fla.1999). Further, even though Cazeau failed to raise a single subject rule challenge in the trial court, we find that such challenge may be properly addressed in this case for the first time on appeal. Cf. Heggs v. State, 25 Fla. L. Weekly S137, S138, S140 n. 4, - So.2d -, -, - n.4, 2000 WL 178052 (Fla. Feb. 17, 2000); Nelson v. State, 748 So.2d 237, 239-241 (Fla. 1999), cert. denied, - U.S. -, 120 S.Ct. 950, 145 L.Ed.2d 825 (2000); State v. Johnson, 616 So.2d 1, 3-4 (Fla.1993).

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

PER CURIAM.

We have for review Cazeau v. State, 740 So.2d 1250 (Fla. 3d DCA 1999), in which the Third District Court of Appeal affirmed Jean Harrt Cazeau’s violent career criminal sentence based on its prior decision in Higgs v. State, 695 So.2d 872 (Fla. 3d DCA 1997). In so affirming, the Ca-zeau court certified conflict with the Second District Court of Appeal’s decision in Thompson v. State, 708 So.2d 315 (Fla. 2d DCA 1998). We have jurisdiction. See Art. V, § 3(b)(4), Fla. Const. Based on our decision in State v. Thompson, 750 So.2d 643 (Fla. 1999), in which we held unconstitutional chapter 95-182, Laws of Florida, as violative of the single subject rule, we quash the decision below and remand for resentencing in accordance with the valid laws in effect on September 5, 1996, the date on which Cazeau committed the underlying offense in this case.¹ See Thompson, 750 So.2d at 649 (remanding for resentencing in accordance with the valid laws in effect at the time the defendant committed her offenses).

It is so ordered.

HARDING, C.J., and SHAW, ANSTEAD, PARIENTE, LEWIS and QUINCE, JJ., concur. WELLS, J., dissents.

1

. We note that Cazeau has standing to raise a single subject rule challenge to chapter 95-182, Laws of Florida, even assuming the window period for raising such a challenge closed on October 1, 1996, as determined by the Fourth District Court of Appeal in Salters v. State, 731 So.2d 826, 826 (Fla. 4th DCA), review granted, 749 So.2d 503 (Fla.1999). Further, even though Cazeau failed to raise a single subject rule challenge in the trial court, we find that such challenge may be properly addressed in this case for the first time on appeal. Cf. Heggs v. State, 25 Fla. L. Weekly S137, S138, S140 n. 4, - So.2d -, -, - n.4, 2000 WL 178052 (Fla. Feb. 17, 2000); Nelson v. State, 748 So.2d 237, 239-241 (Fla. 1999), cert. denied, - U.S. -, 120 S.Ct. 950, 145 L.Ed.2d 825 (2000); State v. Johnson, 616 So.2d 1, 3-4 (Fla.1993).

Cazeau v. State, 755 So. 2d 104, 25 Fla. L. Weekly Supp. 238, 2000 Fla. LEXIS 621, 2000 WL 297863 (Fla. 2000).

Pincite

755 So. 2d 104 (Cazeau v. State) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

Opinion

Related