State v. Perez

831 So. 2d 542, 2002 WL 31662718
CourtLouisiana Court of Appeal
DecidedNovember 26, 2002
Docket02-KA-587
StatusPublished
Cited by7 cases

This text of 831 So. 2d 542 (State v. Perez) 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. Perez, 831 So. 2d 542, 2002 WL 31662718 (La. Ct. App. 2002).

Opinion

831 So.2d 542 (2002)

STATE of Louisiana
v.
Jose PEREZ.

No. 02-KA-587.

Court of Appeal of Louisiana, Fifth Circuit.

November 26, 2002.
Rehearing Denied December 18, 2002.

*544 Paul D. Connick, Jr., District Attorney, Churita H. Hansell, Terry M. Boudreaux, Lisa B. Schneider, Assistant District Attorneys, Gretna, LA, for Appellant.

Frank Sloan, Mandeville, LA, for Appellee.

Panel composed of Judges THOMAS F. DALEY, MARION F. EDWARDS and SUSAN M. CHEHARDY.

MARION F. EDWARDS, Judge.

The State of Louisiana appeals from a trial court's ruling that granted defendant, Jose Perez's, Motion To Quash the bill of information. For the following reasons, we vacate the judgment of the trial court and remand this matter to the trial court for a reopening of the Motion to Quash hearing.

The Jefferson Parish District Attorney filed a bill of information charging defendant, Jose Perez ("Perez"), with third offense operating a vehicle while intoxicated ("DWI") on October 12, 2001, following two previous DWI convictions in the Second Parish Court for the Parish of Jefferson.[1] Specifically, the bill of information alleges that defendant was first convicted of DWI on September 21, 1999 in case number S628049, and again on January 29, 1997 in case number S614387.[2]

Perez filed a motion to quash the bill of information on the basis that he was unrepresented in the 1997 DWI guilty plea, that he was not advised of the right to appointed counsel if he was indigent, and that he had not validly waived his right to counsel. After a hearing, the Honorable Ross LaDart granted the motion to quash. The State timely filed the present appeal.

LAW AND ARGUMENT

In its sole assignment of error, the State contends that the trial judge's failure to advise Perez of the right to appointed counsel if he was indigent is irrelevant, considering that the transcript of the 1997 DWI guilty plea reflects a valid waiver of the right to counsel. Perez responds that his waiver of counsel was invalid because the trial judge failed to inform him that he had the right to appointed counsel if he was indigent. Perez further contends that the State is therefore precluded from using the 1997 guilty plea to enhance a subsequent DWI offense.

When a defendant challenges the constitutional validity of a predicate DWI conviction resulting from a guilty plea, the State bears the initial burden of proving the existence of the guilty plea and that an attorney represented the defendant during the plea.[3] If the State meets this burden, the defendant must produce affirmative evidence indicating an infringement of his rights or a procedural irregularity in the *545 taking of the plea. If the defendant is able to meet his burden, the State must prove the constitutionality of the plea.[4] However, even after State v. Carlos, the State still has the burden of proving that an unrepresented defendant knowingly and intelligently waived his right to counsel before pleading guilty to a predicate misdemeanor DWI that is used to enhance a subsequent DWI offense.[5]

Article I, Section 13 of the Louisiana Constitution provides as follows regarding the right to counsel:

When any person has been arrested or detained in connection with the investigation or commission of any offense, he shall be advised fully of the reason for his arrest or detention, his right to remain silent, his right against self incrimination, his right to the assistance of counsel and, if indigent, his right to court appointed counsel. In a criminal prosecution, an accused shall be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation against him. At each stage of the proceedings, every person is entitled to assistance of counsel of his choice, or appointed by the court if he is indigent and charged with an offense punishable by imprisonment.

Further, LSA-C.Cr.P. art. 514 requires that "[t]he minutes of the court must show either that the defendant was represented by counsel or that he was informed by the court of the defendant's right to counsel, including the right to court-appointed counsel, and that he waived such right."

When an accused waives his right to counsel in pleading guilty to a misdemeanor, the trial judge should expressly advise him of his right to counsel and to appointed counsel if he is indigent.[6] Once informed of the right to counsel, the defendant may intentionally waive that right.[7] In accepting a waiver of counsel, the trial judge should inform the accused of the nature of the charges, and the penalty range, and the judge should inquire into the accused's age, education and mental condition.[8]Strain, however, did not "establish inflexible criteria or a magic word formula for determining the voluntariness of the waiver."[9] Rather, the determination of the validity of the accused's waiver of counsel rests on the totality of the circumstances in each case.[10] Determining the defendant's understanding of his waiver of counsel in a guilty plea to an uncomplicated misdemeanor requires less judicial inquiry than determining his understanding of his waiver of counsel for a felony trial.[11]

In this case, at the hearing on the motion to quash, Perez introduced a copy of the transcript of the 1997 guilty plea, which reflects that he was advised of his rights pursuant to Boykin v. Alabama,[12] and the right to an attorney as follows:

THE COURT:

Mr. Perez, did you just review this Waiver of Rights form (indicating form)?
THE DEFENDANT:
*546 Yes, sir.
THE COURT:
Is this your signature you signed at the bottom (indicating)?
THE DEFENDANT:
Yes.
THE COURT:
At this time I am going to read over this form so that we can put it on the record. In the appropriate spots you will need to answer out loud so your answer can go on the record. Do you understand that?
THE DEFENDANT:
Yes.
THE COURT:
If you have any questions or don't understand something, stop and ask me and I will explain it to you. Do you understand that?
THE DEFENDANT:
Yes, sir.
THE COURT:
It is my understanding you are wishing to enter a plea of guilty to driving while intoxicated first offense; is that correct?
THE DEFENDANT:
Yes.
THE COURT:
Do you understand that by entering a plea of guilty you are giving up the following rights? You are giving up your right to a trial by judge. Do you understand that?
THE DEFENDANT:
Yes.
THE COURT:
You are giving up your right to require the State to prove you guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Do you understand that?
THE DEFENDANT:
Yes, sir.
...
THE COURT:
Do you understand that you are entitled to the assistance of a lawyer, but at this time you are wishing to waive that right and enter this plea without the assistance of a lawyer?
THE DEFENDANT:

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
831 So. 2d 542, 2002 WL 31662718, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-perez-lactapp-2002.