Case ID: so2d_679/html/0735-01.html
Source: Caselaw Access Project
Author: {"author": "GRIMES, Justice.", "license": "Public Domain", "url": "https://static.case.law/"}
Date Created: 2024-08-24T03:29:51.129683

Timothy VISAGE, Petitioner, v. STATE of Florida, Respondent.
    No. 86999.
    Supreme Court of Florida.
    July 3, 1996.
    Rehearing Denied Sept. 6, 1996.
    Nancy A. Daniels, Public Defender, and Phil Patterson, Assistant Public Defender, Second Judicial Circuit Tallahassee, for Petitioner.
    Robert A. Butterworth, Attorney General; James W. Rogers, Senior Assistant Attorney General, and William J. Bakstran, Assistant Attorney General, Tallahassee, for Respondent.
   GRIMES, Justice.

We have for review Visage v. State, 664 So.2d 1101, 1102 (Fla. 1st DCA 1995), wherein the district court of appeal certified the following question to be of great public importance:

MAY A DEFENDANT BE MENTALLY COMPETENT TO STAND TRIAL YET STILL LACK THE ABILITY TO MAKE AN INTELLIGENT AND UNDERSTANDING CHOICE TO PROCEED WITHOUT COUNSEL UNDER FLORIDA RULE OF CRIMINAL PROCEDURE 3.111(D)(3)?

We have jurisdiction pursuant to article V, section 3(b)(4) of the Florida Constitution.

Both parties concede that it is well settled that a defendant may be competent to stand trial yet lack the ability to knowingly and intelligently waive counsel. See, e.g., Johnston v. State, 497 So.2d 863 (Fla.1986); Muhammad v. State, 494 So.2d 969 (Fla.1986), cert. denied, 479 U.S. 1101, 107 S.Ct. 1332, 94 L.Ed.2d 183 (1987); Goode v. State, 365 So.2d 381 (Fla.1978), cert. denied, 441 U.S. 967, 99 S.Ct. 2419, 60 L.Ed.2d 1074 (1979). We agree and therefore discharge jurisdiction.

It is so ordered.

KOGAN, C.J., and OVERTON, SHAW, HARDING, WELLS and ANSTEAD, JJ., concur.