State v. Lange

2003 WI App 2, 656 N.W.2d 480, 259 Wis. 2d 774, 2002 Wisc. App. LEXIS 1383
CourtCourt of Appeals of Wisconsin
DecidedDecember 18, 2002
Docket01-2584-CR
StatusPublished
Cited by13 cases

This text of 2003 WI App 2 (State v. Lange) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Wisconsin primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State v. Lange, 2003 WI App 2, 656 N.W.2d 480, 259 Wis. 2d 774, 2002 Wisc. App. LEXIS 1383 (Wis. Ct. App. 2002).

Opinion

NETTESHEIM, PJ.

¶ 1. Richard A. Lange appeals from a postconviction order denying his motion to *779 withdraw his no contest plea to a charge of delivery of a controlled substance, party to the crime, contrary to Wis. Stat. §§ 961.41(l)(cm)l and 939.05 (1999-2000), 1 and, alternatively, to amend his sentence to give proper credit for time served. Lange raises three issues on appeal: (1) his plea was involuntary because the plea colloquy failed to establish that he understood the elements of the charged offense and the constitutional rights he was waiving; (2) he was deprived of his constitutional right to counsel at the plea hearing; and (3) the trial court failed to provide him with proper sentence credit for time served.

¶ 2. We conclude that Lange has made a prima facie showing that the plea colloquy was inadequate because the trial court failed to ascertain that he understood the elements of the charged offense at the time of the plea hearing. We therefore reverse the judgment and order and remand for further proceedings to determine if the State can demonstrate by clear and convincing evidence that Lange's plea was nevertheless knowingly and voluntarily entered. In the event the State meets its burden at the remand proceedings, the trial court shall reinstate the judgment of conviction.

¶ 3. Lange's contention that he was denied the assistance of counsel at the plea hearing is rendered moot not only by our determination that the plea colloquy failed to comport with the requirements of Wis. Stat. § 971.08(l)(a), but also by the fact that Lange is now represented by appointed counsel for his postcon-viction proceedings. That appointment will continue on remand.

*780 ¶ 4. Because our opinion allows for the possible reinstatement of Lange's conviction, we are required to address his further claim that he was not given the proper credit against his sentence. Because the present record is unclear as to the proper amount of sentence credit to which Lange is entitled pursuant to Wis. Stat. § 973.155(1), we direct the trial court to revisit the computation of Lange's sentence credit in the event the judgment of conviction is reinstated.

BACKGROUND

¶ 5. On November 18, 1998, the State charged Lange with two counts of party to the crime of delivering cocaine base as a repeat offender and one count of party to the crime of delivery of hydrocodone as a repeat offender. The case was assigned to Fond du Lac County Circuit Judge Henry B. Buslee. The following day, the state public defender's office appointed counsel for Lange pursuant to Wis. Stat. ch. 977.

¶ 6. On April 13, 1999, three months prior to the scheduled jury trial, Lange's counsel moved to withdraw due to a breakdown in communication. Judge Buslee granted the motion, and the state public defender appointed successor counsel for Lange on April 27, 1999. On July 20, 1999, successor counsel also moved to withdraw, again due to a breakdown in communication. Judge Buslee granted this motion on July 21, 1999.

¶ 7. The state public defender declined to appoint further counsel for Lange. Therefore, on October 22, 1999, Lange filed a motion asking Judge Buslee to appoint counsel. Judge Buslee denied this request and Lange proceeded pro se.

¶ .8. At the time this case was pending before Judge Buslee, Lange had other charges pending against *781 him in a case assigned to Fond du Lac County Circuit Judge Dale English. Lange's attorney in that case was Attorney William Mayer. In due course, Mayer negotiated a plea agreement with the State in both cases.

¶ 9. Pursuant to the plea agreement, Lange would enter a plea of no contest to one count of delivery of a controlled substance (cocaine base), party to a crime, in the case before Judge Buslee in exchange for a dismissal of the repeater allegation and the other two counts. The dismissed counts, however, would be read in for sentencing purposes. With respect to the case assigned to Judge English, Lange would enter a plea of no contest to disorderly conduct and the State would request that the remaining charges be dismissed. Finally, the parties agreed "[t]he sentencing [in the case before Judge English] would be done in front of Judge Buslee, with the consent of Judge English."

¶ 10. Consistent with the plea agreement, Lange appeared pro se 2 in the instant case on May 12, 2000, and entered a plea of no contest to the crime of delivery of a controlled substance, party to a crime, contrary to Wis. Stat. §§ 939.05 and 961.41(l)(cm)l. In due course, and also consistent with the plea agreement, Lange appeared before Judge English and entered a no contest plea to the charge of disorderly conduct in that case.

¶ 11. On October 12, 2000, Lange appeared for sentencing in both cases before Judge Buslee. 3 Attorney Mayer represented Lange at this proceeding. Judge Buslee sentenced Lange to ninety days' time served for *782 the disorderly conduct offense in the case originally assigned to Judge English and seven years' imprisonment for the party to the crime of delivery of a controlled substance in the instant case. Judge Buslee determined that Lange was entitled to 153 days of credit for time served in the instant case. In due course, Judge Buslee entered judgments of convictions in both cases.

¶ 12. Following sentencing, Lange obtained appointed counsel for purposes of postconviction proceedings before Judge Buslee. On April 20, 2001, Lange's counsel filed motions for postconviction relief, but only in the instant case. Lange argued that his plea was not voluntarily and knowingly made and that he was deprived of the assistance of counsel at his plea hearing. Lange additionally argued that Judge Buslee had failed to correctly compute his sentence credit. Following a motion hearing on September 5, 2001, Judge Buslee denied Lange's request for postconviction relief in a written order dated September 10, 2001.

¶ 13. Lange appeals. We will recite additional facts as we address each appellate issue.

DISCUSSION

Plea Withdrawal

¶ 14. Lange first contends that the trial court erred in denying his motion for plea withdrawal because the plea colloquy failed to establish that he understood the elements of the offense to which he was pleading and the nature of the constitutional rights he *783 was waiving. See Wis. Stat. § 971.08(1)(a). 4

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Bluebook (online)
2003 WI App 2, 656 N.W.2d 480, 259 Wis. 2d 774, 2002 Wisc. App. LEXIS 1383, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-lange-wisctapp-2002.