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Brinson v. State

District Court of Appeal of Florida, Second District
Feb 15, 1985
463 So. 2d 564 (Fla. Dist. Ct. App. 1985)

Opinion

No. 84-1837.

February 15, 1985.

Appeal from Circuit Court, Polk County; Oliver L. Green, Jr., Judge.

James Marion Moorman, Public Defender, and David Dwiggins, Asst. Public Defender, Bartow, for appellant.

Jim Smith, Atty. Gen., Tallahassee, and Peggy A. Quince, Asst. Atty. Gen., Tampa, for appellee.


This defendant challenges sentences representing a departure from the recommended sentence indicated by his guidelines score sheet. The trial judge gave seven written reasons for the departure, five of which appear to us to be valid and proper, and two of which seem to us to be questionable. On balance, it would appear that the trial judge should be affirmed based on the five valid reasons rather than reversed with directions to reconsider the sentence. We have declined to reverse when only one of several reasons was found improper. Willard v. State, 462 So.2d 102 (Fla. 2d DCA 1985). In this case, however, we affirm but certify the same question that our sister court certified in Young v. State, 455 So.2d 551 (Fla. 1st DCA 1984):

WHEN AN APPELLATE COURT FINDS THAT A SENTENCING COURT RELIED UPON A REASON OR REASONS THAT ARE IMPERMISSIBLE UNDER FLORIDA RULE OF CRIMINAL PROCEDURE 3.701 IN MAKING ITS DECISION TO DEPART FROM THE SENTENCING GUIDELINES, SHOULD THE APPELLATE COURT EXAMINE THE OTHER REASONS GIVEN BY THE SENTENCING COURT TO DETERMINE IF THOSE REASONS JUSTIFY A DEPARTURE FROM THE GUIDELINES OR SHOULD THE CASE BE REMANDED FOR A RESENTENCING?

AFFIRMED.

FRANK, J., and BOARDMAN, EDWARD F. (Ret.), J., concur.


Summaries of

Brinson v. State

District Court of Appeal of Florida, Second District
Feb 15, 1985
463 So. 2d 564 (Fla. Dist. Ct. App. 1985)
Case details for

Brinson v. State

Case Details

Full title:JAMES ARTHUR BRINSON, APPELLANT, v. STATE OF FLORIDA, APPELLEE

Court:District Court of Appeal of Florida, Second District

Date published: Feb 15, 1985

Citations

463 So. 2d 564 (Fla. Dist. Ct. App. 1985)

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