In Re Becker

20 P.3d 409
CourtWashington Supreme Court
DecidedApril 5, 2001
Docket68700-5
StatusPublished

This text of 20 P.3d 409 (In Re Becker) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Washington Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
In Re Becker, 20 P.3d 409 (Wash. 2001).

Opinion

20 P.3d 409 (2001)

In re the Personal Restraint Petition of Paul J. BECKER, Petitioner.

No. 68700-5.

Supreme Court of Washington, En Banc.

Argued October 19, 2000.
Decided April 5, 2001.

*410 Charles Stuart Dorn, Spokane, for Petitioner.

Patricia Mary Connolly Walker, Asst. Spokane City Atty., Spokane, for Respondent.

JOHNSON, J.

In this case we must determine whether the Court of Appeals erred when it vacated petitioner's writ of habeas corpus because it was time barred under RCW 10.73.090-.110. We affirm the Court of Appeals on the basis that the petitioner's writ was an attempt to relitigate the same issue decided in a previous collateral attack proceeding and is properly barred as a successive collateral attack.

FACTS

On February 27, 1996, Paul J. Becker (Becker) entered a plea of guilty to driving while under the influence and was sentenced in district court. Becker had been represented by a legal intern, who was later found in noncompliance with the requirements of APR 9. On May 22, 1996, the district court amended its sentence, giving Becker credit for time served and suspending the remainder of the jail sentence. The same day, Becker filed a motion to vacate his guilty plea on the basis he was denied counsel due to his legal intern's failure to comply with APR 9 requirements. On February 3, 1997, the district court denied Becker's motion to vacate his plea. On March 4, 1997, Becker filed a RALJ appeal in superior court challenging the district court's ruling. On May 29, 1997, the appeal was dismissed due to abandonment.[1]

On January 28, 1998, Becker sought a writ of habeas corpus, again alleging he had been deprived of counsel regarding his plea. On February 13, 1998, the superior court entered an order vacating the conviction. The superior court found Becker had been both restrained and denied counsel regarding his *411 guilty plea. On April 21, 1998, the City of Spokane (City) filed a motion for relief from the order, which the superior court denied. On August 24, 1998, after reconsideration of its April 21 decision, the superior court issued its order denying the City's motion for stay and relief from the writ.

The City appealed. The Court of Appeals vacated the writ and reinstated the conviction, holding the action was time barred under the one-year statute of limitations in RCW 10.73.110. In re Personal Restraint of Becker, 96 Wash.App. 902, 908, 982 P.2d 639 (1999). The Court of Appeals also held the district court's failure to advise Becker of his one-year time limit for filing for collateral relief under RCW 10.73.110 was of no consequence because the statute is superseded by CrRLJ 7.2(b). Becker, 96 Wash.App. at 907-08, 982 P.2d 639. The Court of Appeals did not analyze whether Becker's writ was barred under RCW 10.73.140 as a successive collateral attack. Becker petitioned this court for review of the Court of Appeals decision, which we granted.

ANALYSIS

According to Becker, the central issue is whether the petition should have been dismissed as untimely. Becker claims it was filed within one year of his final conviction and, even if it was not, the statute of limitations in RCW 10.73.090 does not apply because the sentencing court failed to inform him of its provision as required by RCW 10.73.110.

The Court of Appeals reasoned, since Becker had pleaded guilty, he need not have been advised of his appellate and postconviction rights because CrRLJ 7.2(b) exempts courts of limited jurisdiction from advising defendants of their appellate and postconviction rights at sentencing when "the judgment and sentence are based on a plea of guilty." CrRLJ 7.2(b); Becker, 96 Wash.App. at 907, 982 P.2d 639. The Court of Appeals concluded the statute of limitation in RCW 10.73.090 applied and Becker's writ should have been dismissed as not timely filed. Becker, 96 Wash.App. at 905-06, 982 P.2d 639.

Regardless of the timing issue, the State argues the successive collateral attack prohibition in RCW 10.73.140[2] applies in this case and is not part of the notification required at the time of sentencing. See, e.g., Shumway v. Payne, 136 Wash.2d 383, 398-99, 964 P.2d 349 (1998). The State argues Becker's writ of habeas corpus/personal restraint petition is barred by RCW 10.73.140's prohibition against successive collateral attacks. We agree and find this issue to be dispositive.[3]

"Collateral attack" means any form of postconviction relief other than a direct appeal. In re the Personal Restraint of Well, 133 Wash.2d 433, 441, 946 P.2d 750 *412 (1997). "Collateral attack" includes such actions as a personal restraint petition, a habeas corpus petition, a motion to vacate judgment, a motion to withdraw guilty plea, a motion for a new trial, and a motion to arrest judgment. RCW 10.73.090(2); Well, 133 Wash.2d at 441, 946 P.2d 750. The principle underlying the rule barring successive collateral attacks is the need for judicial finality regarding claims that have already been adjudicated. In re Personal Restraint of La-Lande, 30 Wash.App. 402, 405, 634 P.2d 895 (1981). Collateral attack by personal restraint petition of a criminal conviction and sentence cannot simply be a reiteration of issues finally resolved at trial and upon appellate review. Personal restraint petitions must raise new points of fact and law that were not or could not have been raised in the principal action. In re Personal Restraint of Gentry, 137 Wash.2d 378, 388, 972 P.2d 1250 (1999).

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Related

Matter of Well
946 P.2d 750 (Washington Supreme Court, 1997)
State v. Brand
828 P.2d 1 (Court of Appeals of Washington, 1992)
State v. Brand
842 P.2d 470 (Washington Supreme Court, 1992)
In Re Personal Restraint of Gentry
972 P.2d 1250 (Washington Supreme Court, 1999)
City of Spokane v. Becker
982 P.2d 639 (Court of Appeals of Washington, 1999)
In Re Bailey
1 P.3d 1120 (Washington Supreme Court, 2000)
In re the Personal Restraint of Bailey
1 P.3d 1120 (Washington Supreme Court, 2000)
In re the Personal Restraint Well
133 Wash. 2d 433 (Washington Supreme Court, 1997)
Shumway v. Payne
964 P.2d 349 (Washington Supreme Court, 1998)
In re the Personal Restraint Gentry
972 P.2d 1250 (Washington Supreme Court, 1999)
In Re Personal Restraint Petition of Becker
20 P.3d 409 (Washington Supreme Court, 2001)
In re the Personal Restraint of Lalande
634 P.2d 895 (Court of Appeals of Washington, 1981)

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Bluebook (online)
20 P.3d 409, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-becker-wash-2001.