Parker v. State

843 So. 2d 871, 2003 WL 1563567
CourtSupreme Court of Florida
DecidedMarch 27, 2003
DocketSC01-1013
StatusPublished
Cited by15 cases

This text of 843 So. 2d 871 (Parker v. State) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Florida primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Parker v. State, 843 So. 2d 871, 2003 WL 1563567 (Fla. 2003).

Opinion

843 So.2d 871 (2003)

Thomas PARKER, Petitioner,
v.
STATE of Florida, Respondent.

No. SC01-1013.

Supreme Court of Florida.

March 27, 2003.

*872 Charles J. Crist, Jr., Attorney General, Celia Terenzio, Bureau Chief, West Palm Beach, and Maria J. Patullo, Joseph A. Tringali, and Leslie T. Campbell, Assistant Attorneys General, West Palm Beach, FL, for Respondent.

*873 SHAW, Senior Justice.

We have for review Parker v. State, 780 So.2d 210 (Fla. 4th DCA 2001), wherein the district court expressly declared valid a state statute. We have jurisdiction. See art. V, § 3(b)(3), Fla. Const. We affirm.

I. FACTS

Parker was arrested June 27, 2000, and charged with aggravated fleeing and eluding, resisting arrest without violence, and driving with a suspended license. He posted a $2700 bond and was released. He subsequently was arrested on August 24, 2000, for possession of cocaine with intent to sell and possession of marijuana. He posted a $2500 bond and was released. At the status conference on the June 27 case, the State notified the court of the second arrest and asked the court to revoke Parker's bond in the first case. Defense counsel objected and the following colloquy took place:

MR. KIRSCH: I'm asking you to revoke his bond on this case.
MS. ESTRUMSA: Judge, I received absolutely no notice of this. I believe the State's required as your Honor is aware to give at least three hours notice so that I can prepare something.
THE COURT: Not with—the statutes. Reading the statute the Court can do it on its own based on reading it in chambers. I don't have to receive any motion; I don't have to receive any offer, just finding there is probable cause.
I'm finding there is probable cause for the new arrest. I have read the probable cause affidavit. The Court finds there is probable cause. The Court is revoking the bond. He can file any motion to set bond.
THE DEFENDANT: Your Honor, I won't be able to re-bond out.
THE COURT: You're being held on a no bond hold on the case once I revoke that bond.
THE DEFENDANT: What?
. . . .
MS. ESTRUMSA: Judge, at this time for the record I would object. The State has provided absolutely no notice prior to doing this ore tenus motion, has not filed any written motion.
They have not given me an opportunity to have any heads up about this revoking of bonds, nor am I able to provide a written motion myself.
At this time Mr. Parker has employment. He is going to lose his job if your Honor should revoke his bond. He has made it to today's court date. There is absolutely no reason to revoke his bond at this time other than the fact he picked up a new charge.
As your Honor knows he is presumed innocent of these charges until proven by the State that he is guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. I ask that you reconsider your revoking of the bond at this time, your Honor.
THE COURT: The reason why the bond is being revoked is because the court finds there is probable cause for the new arrest. The State gives the Court the authority to do that. That's what I'm doing. On this case the calendar call is November 9th. The trial date is November 13th.

Parker was remanded into custody without bond. He later filed a motion to reconsider the bond revocation, contending that section 903.0471, Florida Statutes (2000), is unconstitutional. The court on October 12 and 17, 2000, conducted hearings on the motion, held the statute constitutional, and denied the motion.[1] Parker *874 filed a petition for a writ of habeas corpus in the district court; the court denied the petition. Parker sought review before this Court.

The issue posed in the present case is whether section 903.0471, Florida Statutes (2000), is constitutional. At the hearing on October 17, 2000, the trial court heard argument of counsel concerning the constitutionality of section 903.0471 and declared the statute constitutional. No evidence was adduced and the trial court made no findings of fact. Its ruling thus constitutes a pure question of law, subject to de novo review.[2]

II. THE CONSTITUTIONAL AND STATUTORY SCHEMES

The presumption of innocence is a basic tenet of our criminal justice system and attaches to each person charged with a crime.[3] Article I, section 14, Florida Constitution, gives effect to this presumption. Prior to 1983, that section read as follows:

SECTION 14. Bail.—Until adjudged guilty, every person charged with a crime or violation of municipal or county ordinance shall be entitled to release on reasonable bail with sufficient surety unless charged with a capital offense or an offense punishable by life imprisonment and the proof of guilt is evident or the presumption is great.

Art. I, § 14, Fla. Const. (1968).

Effective January 1, 1983, the section was amended to broaden the group of persons who could be denied bail and later was modified in other ways:

SECTION 14. Pretrial release and detention.—Unless charged with a capital offense or an offense punishable by life imprisonment and the proof of guilt is evident or the presumption is great, every person charged with a crime or violation of municipal or county ordinance shall be entitled to pretrial release on reasonable conditions. If no conditions of release can reasonably protect the community from risk of physical harm to persons, assure the presence of the accused at trial, or assure the integrity of the judicial process, the accused may be detained.

Art. I, § 14, Fla. Const. (emphasis added). To implement the 1983 amendment, the *875 Legislature enacted statutory sections 903.046[4] and 907.041,[5] which set forth criteria for bail determinations and pretrial release.

III. CHANGES IN THE STATUTORY SCHEME

Subsequent to the above constitutional amendment and statutory enactments, a conflict arose among Florida's district courts. The courts agreed that under the then-current statutory scheme a trial court could revoke bond when a defendant violated a condition of pretrial release, but the courts differed as to what should happen if the defendant then reapplied for pretrial release. The Third District Court of Appeal held that the matter fell squarely within the discretion of the court, whereas the Fourth District Court of Appeal held that the issue was governed by the provisions of section 907.041.[6] This Court, in order to consider the issue, granted review in Paul v. Jenne, 728 So.2d 1167 (Fla. 4th DCA 1999).

While Paul was pending, the Legislature addressed the issue by enacting several statutory provisions. First, the Legislature amended section 907.041(4) to read as follows:

(c) The court may order pretrial detention if it finds a substantial probability ... *876 that any of the following circumstances exists:
1. The defendant has previously violated conditions of release and that no further conditions of release are reasonably likely to assure the defendant's appearance at subsequent proceedings;
2.

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843 So. 2d 871, 2003 WL 1563567, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/parker-v-state-fla-2003.