Case Title: Thomas Adams v. State of Florida

Citation: 

Docket Number: SC00-663

State: florida

Court: Florida Supreme Court

Date: 2001-05-31T00:00:00Z

Document:
Supreme Court of Florida
 
____________
No. SC00-663
____________
THOMAS ADAMS,
Petitioner,
vs.
STATE OF FLORIDA,
Respondent.
[May 31, 2001]
LEWIS, J.
We have for review Adams v. State, 25 Fla. L. Weekly D758 (Fla. 1st DCA
March 23, 2000).  We have jurisdiction.  See art. V, § 3(b)(4), Fla. Const.
The petitioner challenges his sentencing under the Prison Releasee
Reoffender Act (the “Act”) on several grounds, all of which have been addressed
by this Court.  See Grant v. State, 770 So. 2d 655 (Fla. 2000) (rejecting an ex post
facto challenge to the Act, and holding that the Act does not violate the single
subject rule for legislation, nor does it violate principles of equal protection or
-2-
subject defendants sentenced under it to double jeopardy); State v. Cotton, 769 So.
2d 345 (Fla. 2000) (holding that the Act does not violate separation of powers,
does not allow a “victim veto” which would preclude application of the Act and
violate due process principles, while also holding that the Act is not void for
vagueness); McKnight v. State, 769 So. 2d 1039 (Fla. 2000) (holding that a
defendant has the right both to present evidence to prove that the defendant does
not qualify for sentencing under the Act and to challenge the State’s evidence
regarding the defendant’s eligibility for sentencing as a prison releasee reoffender);
Ellis v. State, 762 So. 2d 912 (Fla. 2000) (recognizing that publication in the Laws
of Florida or the Florida Statutes gives all citizens constructive notice of the
consequences of their actions).  Accordingly, we approve the decision of the
district court to the extent that it is consistent with Grant, McKnight, Cotton, and
Ellis.
It is so ordered.
WELLS, C.J., and SHAW, HARDING, ANSTEAD, and PARIENTE, JJ., concur.
QUINCE, J., dissents.
NOT FINAL UNTIL TIME EXPIRES TO FILE REHEARING MOTION, AND
IF FILED, DETERMINED.
-3-
Application for Review of the Decision of the District Court of Appeal - 
Certified Great Public Importance
First District - Case No. 1D98-4840 
(Duval County)
Nancy A. Daniels, Public Defender, and P. Douglas Brinkmeyer, Assistant Public
Defender, Second Judicial Circuit, Tallahassee, Florida,
for Petitioner
Robert A. Butterworth, Attorney General, and James W. Rogers, Tallahassee
Bureau Chief, Criminal Appeals, and Charmaine M. Millsaps, Assistant Attorney
General, Tallahassee, Florida,
for Respondent