State v. Nabak

864 So. 2d 758, 2003 WL 23025592
CourtLouisiana Court of Appeal
DecidedDecember 30, 2003
Docket03-KA-919
StatusPublished
Cited by8 cases

This text of 864 So. 2d 758 (State v. Nabak) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Louisiana Court of Appeal primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State v. Nabak, 864 So. 2d 758, 2003 WL 23025592 (La. Ct. App. 2003).

Opinion

864 So.2d 758 (2003)

STATE of Louisiana
v.
Michael W. NABAK.

No. 03-KA-919.

Court of Appeal of Louisiana, Fifth Circuit.

December 30, 2003.

*760 Paul D. Connick, Jr., District Attorney, Thomas J. Butler, Terry M. Boudreaux, Donald A. Rowan, Jr., Assistant District Attorneys, Gretna, LA, for Plaintiff/Appellee.

Bruce G. Whittaker, New Orleans, LA, for Defendant/Appellant.

Panel composed of Judges SOL GOTHARD, THOMAS F. DALEY, and CLARENCE E. McMANUS.

THOMAS F. DALEY, Judge.

Defendant, Michael W. Nabak, appeals his conviction of driving while intoxicated, third offense, a violation of LSA-R.S. 14:98(D)(1). Michael Nabak pleaded guilty to the charge under State v. Crosby[1] and assigns as error the trial court's denial of his Motion to Quash, which alleged that the guilty pleas in his two predicate offenses were obtained without valid waivers of counsel, and thus, cannot be used to enhance the current charge. This appeal followed.

ASSIGNMENT OF ERROR NUMBER ONE

On appeal, Michael Nabak contends that the trial judge erred in refusing to grant the Motion to Quash the Bill of Information. In particular, he alleges that the predicate guilty pleas were constitutionally infirm in that he was not represented by counsel, and the proof presented in support of the predicate guilty pleas was insufficient to establish that he made knowing waivers of his right to counsel.[2]

The State replies that since the documents show that Michael Nabak was advised of and waived the right to counsel, the proof presented was sufficient to establish a knowing waiver of counsel, relieving the State of the necessity of producing the transcripts.

The predicate offenses listed in the Bill of Information were: (1) a guilty plea entered in Hancock, Mississippi, on November 17, 1998 in Docket No. 176-523, and (2) a guilty plea entered in Jefferson Parish in First Parish Court on June 28, 1999 in Docket No. F1217824.

Both predicate guilty pleas are the subject of Michael Nabak's Motion to Quash. The evidence offered by the State in support of the first predicate guilty plea consists of a single page, Mississippi Waiver of Rights form. The evidence offered by the State in support of the second predicate guilty plea consisted of certified copies of the Bill of Information, a minute entry reflecting the charges and disposition, and a Waiver of Rights form.

A presumption of regularity attaches to prior convictions in multiple-offender DWI cases and the burden is on the defendant to show the prior plea is constitutionally deficient.[3]

The Louisiana Supreme Court, in State v. Carlos, 738 So.2d at 559, found that the burden shifting principles set forth in State v. Shelton, 621 So.2d 769 (La.1993) applied to the recidivist portion *761 of the DWI statute, LSA-R.S. 14:98. Thus, under Carlos, when a defendant collaterally attacks a prior DWI guilty plea by a Motion to Quash, the State bears the initial burden of submitting sufficient evidence of the existence of the prior guilty plea and that the plea was counseled. State v. Carlos, 738 So.2d at 559. If the State meets this burden, the defendant must then produce affirmative evidence showing an infringement of his rights or a procedural irregularity in the taking of the plea. State v. Carlos, supra. If the defendant is able to do this, then the burden shifts to the State to prove the constitutionality of the plea. State v. Carlos, supra. The State will meet this burden by producing a "perfect" transcript of the guilty plea colloquy. Anything less than a "perfect" transcript, such as a guilty plea form or minute entry, will require the trial judge to weigh the evidence submitted by both sides and determine whether the defendant's Boykin rights were prejudiced. State v. Carlos, supra.

In support of its position that the predicate guilty pleas were constitutionally sound, the State presented State's Exhibit 1, which consisted of a single page Waiver of Rights/Guilty Plea Form from the First Justice Court in Hancock County, Mississippi, executed by Michael Nabak and the presiding judge, in conjunction with Michael Nabak's guilty plea taken in Doc. No. 176-523 on November 17, 1998. The form enumerates Michael Nabak's rights and lists among those rights the following: "I am giving up the right to have a lawyer; I understand that if I cannot afford a lawyer, one may be appointed to represent me."

The form also contained the following language:

I hereby certify under oath that there have been no threats or promises made to me in order to get me to enter this plea.
I further certify under oath that I have read and understand all of the above and that I desire to waive my rights and enter a plea of guilty.

The State also presented State's Exhibit 2, which consisted of certified copies of the Bill of Information, a minute entry reflecting the charges and disposition, and the Waiver of Constitutional Rights Plea of Guilty form, executed by Michael Nabak and the judge during the guilty plea proceeding that occurred in First Parish Court for the Parish of Jefferson in Docket No. 1217824 on June 28, 1999. The waiver form enumerated Michael Nabak's rights, including the right "(5) to have an attorney present at every stage of the proceeding." The form also specified the following:

If I elect to have a trial, I have a right to have competent counsel represent me at the trial and if I am unable to pay for counsel, the Court will appoint competent counsel to represent me. If convicted after trial, I have a right to appeal with competent counsel and by pleading GUILTY I am waiving these rights
....
No promises have been made to me by anyone in connection with this plea.

An attestation was also signed by Michael Nabak that stated:

I hereby certify that the above rights have been read and explained to my full satisfaction by ________, and that I have no further questions to ask concerning my rights and that this acknowledgment by me will become part of these proceedings.

No transcripts or any additional evidence was offered by the State in support of either of the two predicate guilty pleas. *762 Following this presentation, the trial judge denied Michael Nabak's Motion to Quash the Bill of Information,[4] over Michael Nabak's objection.

An uncounseled misdemeanor conviction, absent a valid waiver of counsel, may not serve as the predicate for enhancement of a subsequent DWI offense. See, State v. Stevison, 97-3122 (La.10/30/98), 721 So.2d 843, 844, citing State v. Pugh, 588 So.2d 702 (La.1991); State v. Deroche, 96-1376, p. 1 (La.11/8/96), 682 So.2d 1251, 1252 (per curiam), quoting State v. Strain, supra.

Before accepting a misdemeanor guilty plea, the trial judge should expressly advise the defendant of his right to counsel and to appointed counsel if he is indigent. State v. Strain, 585 So.2d 540, 543-544 (La.1991); State v. Garrity, 97-958, p. 3 (La.App. 5 Cir. 1/27/98), 708 So.2d 1096, 1098. The judge should determine if the waiver is knowing and intelligent under the circumstances. State v. Garrity, 708 So.2d at 1097. The critical issue on review of the waiver of rights is whether the defendant understood the waiver. State v. White, 98-343, p. 7 (La.App. 1 Cir. 12/28/98), 727 So.2d 574, 577.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
864 So. 2d 758, 2003 WL 23025592, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-nabak-lactapp-2003.