FI RST DI VI SI ON

DOYLE, C. J.

, BOGGS A ND M ERCI ER, JJ.

N O T IC E : M otions for r e c ons i de r a tion m us t be

ph y sic a l ly r e ce iv ed i n our c le r k ’s offic e w ithin te n

da y s of the da te of de c is ion to be de e m ed tim e ly file d.

http://w w w .ga a ppe a l s .us /r ule s

M ar ch 10, 2016



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A1 5 A1 95 2 . PAGE v . THE STATE. DO-0 7 5 C

D O Y LE , Ch ief J ud g e.

Trev Bax t er Pag e ap p eal s fro m th e tri al co u rt ’ s ord er rev ok i n g h i s p ro b at io n

. 1

Pag e arg ues t h at b ecau s e t h e co n d u ct u n d erl y i n g t h e rev o cat i o n o ccu rred a f te r the o ral

p ro n ou n cem en t o f hi s s en t en ce b u t p ri o r t o t h e wri t ten s en t en ce b ei n g fi led i n t h e cas e

an d b ecau s e h e was n o t y et o n p ro b at i o n wh en t h e rev o cat i o n o ccu rred

, (1 ) h i s ri g ht

t o d u e p ro ces s was v i o l at ed wh en h i s p ro b at i o n was r e v o k ed

, an d (2 ) h e recei v ed

i n effect i v e as s i s t an ce o f co u n s el wh en co u n sel fai l ed t o arg u e t h es e p o si t io n s at t h e

rev o cat i on h eari n g . Fo r t h e reas o n s t h at fo l l ow, we affi rm

.

1 Pag e fi l ed an ap p l i cat i o n fo r d i s cret i o n ary rev i ew, wh ich t h i s Co u rt g ran t ed

i n an o rd er i ss u ed o n M ay 8 , 2 0 1 5

.Th e ev id en ce s h o ws t h at o n Au gu s t 2 6

, 2 0 1 4

, Pag e en t ere d a g u i l ty p l ea to

b u rg lary u n d er th e Fi rs t Offen d er Act

, OCGA § 4 2 -8 -6 0

. Pri o r t o en t ry o f h i s p le a,

Pag e h ad b ee n rel eas ed o n bo n d

. On Au gu s t 2 6

, 2 0 14

, t h e tri al co u rt o ral l y

p ro n ou n ced hi s s en t en ce o f 1 0 y ears wi t h t h e fi rs t 1 2 m on t h s t o serv e i n co n fi n em en t

an d th e rem ai n der o n pro bat i o n

. 2 Th e t ri al co u rt ex p l ai ned t o Pag e t h at p u rs u an t t o t h e

Fi rs t Offen der Act

, i f h e re-o ffen d ed

, h e co u ld be ad ju d i cat ed g u i l ty an d re-s en t en ced

t o u p to 2 0 y ears co n fi n em en t

. Th e tri al co u rt al l o wed Pag e t o ret u rn h o m e

i m m ed i at el y aft er t h e o ral p ro n o u n cem en t i n o rd er t o s eek m ed ical t reat m en t fo r an

i n ju ry

, bu t t h e co u rt o rd ered h i m t o rep o rt t o W h i t fi el d Co u n t y J a i l t h r e e d ay s l at er

o n Au g u s t 2 9

, 2 0 14

, at 8 : 0 0 a

. m

. t o b eg i n h i s s en t en ce o f co nfi n em en t

, ex p l ai n i n g

t h at fai l u re t o ap p ear at t h at t i m e w o u l d co ns t i t u t e a v i o l at i o n o f p ro b at i o n

, an d h i s

fi rs t o ffen d er s t at u s co u ld b e rev o k ed

.

Al t h ou g h t h e t ri al co u rt s i g ned t h e wri tt en ju d g m en t o f co n v i ct i o n o n Au g u s t

2 6

, t h e o rd er was no t en t ered o n t o t h e d o ck et u n ti l S ep t em b er 2

, 2 0 1 4 ; t h e o rd er

co n tai n ed t h e s en ten ce as pro no u n ced o n Au gu s t 2 6

, i n cl u d i n g t h e s p eci al co n d i t i o n

o f p ro b at i o n req ui ri n g t hat Pag e rep o rt t o t h e jai l at 8 : 0 0 a.m

. o n Au g u s t 2 9

.

2 Pu rs u an t t o OCGA § 4 2 -8 -6 0 (a) (1 ), t he co u rt wi t h hel d ad ju d i cat i o n o f g u i l t

.

2On Au g u st 2 9

, 2 01 4

, wh en Pag e fai l ed to ap p ear at t h e jai l to b eg i n hi s t erm o f

c o n fi n em en t

, t h e t ri al co u rt i s s u ed an o rd er fo r h i s arres t

, wh i ch p o l ice s erv e d l a t e r

t h at day

. 3 W h en t h ey arri v ed at h is res i d en ce, offi c ers en co u n tered a p ers o n t h ey

wo u l d l at er learn was Pag e wal k i n g o u t fro m b eh in d an ap art m en t b u i ld i n g h o l d i n g

wh at ap p eared t o b e a p i p e no rm al l y u s ed fo r s m ok i n g m e t h a m p h et am i n e. Offi cers

as k ed i f t h e i t em t h ey s aw i n Pag e’ s h an d was a m et h am p het am i n e p i p e, an d h e s t at ed

t h at i t was no t

, t h at h e was no t s m o k i n g m et h am ph et am i n e, an d t h at h e was p l ay i n g

b as k et b al l wi t h h is k i d s

. Offi cers as k ed Pag e h is id en t i t y

, an d aft er h e ad m i t t ed i t

,

t h ey ex pl ai n ed t hat t h ey were t h ere t o arres t h i m

, an d Pag e res p o n ded th at h e wo u ld

n o t l eav e an d ran t o w ard t h e o ffi cers

, s t ri k i n g o n e. Pag e’ s t wo ch il d ren

, ag es n i n e an d

s i x, wi t n es s ed t h e s c e n e

, an d t h e o l d er ch i ld w as s t ru ck i n t he l eg wi t h an o ffi cer’ s

m i cro p h o n e, w h ich Pag e h ad th ro wn

. Th e t wo ch il d ren as k ed t h e p o li ce t o leav e Pag e

al o n e an d w ere v ery up s et d u ri n g t h e a l t ercat i o n

. Ev en t u al ly

, o n e o f t h e o ffi cers

d ep lo y ed h i s t as er, wh i ch was n o t effect iv e, b u t o t h er o ffi cers arri v ed an d were ab l e

t o su b d u e Pag e. Aft er Pag e w as arres t ed

, o ffi cers d i s c o v e red o n h i s pers o n a

s u b s t an ce t h at fi el d t es t ed p o s i t i v e fo r m et h am p h et am i n e an d a s p ri ng lo ad ed k n i fe.

3 A warran t fo r arres t fo r Pag e’ s v i o l at i o n o f t h e sp eci al co n di t i o n was i s s u ed

o n Sep t em

b er 2 , 2 0 1 4 , al t h ou g h Pag e was act u al l y b o o k ed i n jai l at t h at t i m e.

3On No v em b er 2 4

, 2 0 1 4, b as ed o n t h e en co u nt er wi t h po l i ce o n Au g u s t 2 9

, t h e

St at e fi l ed a Pet i t i o n fo r Ad j u d i cat i o n o f Gu i l t an d Im p o s i t i o n o f Sen ten ce i n Fi rs t

Offen d er Cas e ag ai n s t Pag e fo r v i o l at i o n o f h i s p ro b a t i o n i n th e b u rg l ary cas e by

co m m i t t i n g t wo co u n t s o f fel o n y o b s t ru ct i o n o f a l aw en fo rcem en t o ffi cer, p o s s es s i o n

o f m e t h a m

p h et am i ne, po ss es s i o n o f dru g -rel at ed o b j ect s

, i n t erferen ce wi th

g o v ern m en t p ro pert y , t wo co u n t s o f cru el t y t o ch il d ren i n t h e t h i rd d eg ree, an d b ai l

ju m p i n g . He was al s o ch arg ed wi t h v i o l at i o n o f a s p eci al co n d it i on o f p ro b at i o n b y

fai l i n g t o rep o rt t o j ai l at t h e ap p o i nt ed t i m e. Aft er t he p ro b at i o n rev o cat i o n h eari n g

o n J an uary 1 3

, 2 0 15

, t he t ri al co u rt wi t h d rew Pag e’ s fi rs t o ffen d er s t at u s i n h i s

b u rg lary cas e, fo u n d b y a p rep o nd eran ce o f t h e e v i d en ce th at h e h ad v i o l at ed

p ro b at i o n b y co m

m i tt i ng act s th at res u l t ed in ad d i t io n al ch arg es ag ai ns t h i m

, an d res en t en ced h i m

t o 2 0 y ears t o s erv e 1 0 i n co n fi n em en t

.

1

. Pag e arg u es t h at b ecau s e t he t ri al co u rt h ad n o t en t ered a wri tt en ju d g m en t

o f co n v i ct i o n t he tri al co u rt v i o l at ed h i s du e pro ces s ri g h t s b y erro n eo u s l y rev o k i n g

p ro b at i o n an d res en ten ci n g h i m i n h i s b urg l ary cas e aft er he fai l ed t o ap p ear at t h e jai l

o n Au g u s t 2 9

, 2 0 14

, an d wa s s u b s eq u en t l y accu sed o f ad d i ti o n al fel o n y ch arg es

.

4Becau s e Pag e fai l ed t o rai s e t h i s i s s u e i n t h e t ri al co u rt

, i t i s w a i v e d an d ad d res s ed

p u rs u an t t o h is i n effect i v e as si s t an ce o f co un s el cl ai m i n Di v is i on 2

. 4

2

. Pag e al s o arg u es t h at h e recei v ed i n effect i v e as s i s t an ce of co u n s el b ecau s e

h i s at to rn ey fai l ed t o arg u e at t h e rev ocat io n h eari n g t h at hi s p ro b at i o n co u l d n o t b e

rev o k ed wh en a wri t ten ju d g m en t o f co n v i ct i o n h a d n o t y et b een en t ered

. W e

d i s ag ree.

To p rev ai l o n a cl ai m o f i n effect i ve as si st an ce o f co u n s el

, a

d efen d an t m

u s t s h o w t h at co u n s el ’ s p erfo rm an ce was d efi ci en t an d t hat

t h e defi ci en t p erfo rm an ce s o p reju d i ced t h e d e fen d an t t h at t h ere i s a

reas o n ab l e l ik el i h o o d t h at , b u t fo r co u n s el ’ s erro rs

, t h e o u tco m e of t he

t ri al wo ul d h av e b een d i fferen t

. I f a n ap p el lan t fai l s t o m eet hi s o r h er

b u rd en o f p ro v in g ei t her p ro n g o f th e St ri ck l an d t es t, t h e rev i ewi n g

co u r t d o es n o t h av e to ex am i n e th e o t h er pro n g

. In rev i ewi n g t h e t ri al

co u rt ’ s deci s i o n

, we accep t t h e t ri al co urt ’ s fa c t u al fi n d i n g s an d

cred ib i l i t y d et erm i n at i o n s u n l e s s c l e a r l y e r r o n e o u s

, b u t we

i n d ep en d en t l y ap p l y t h e l eg al p ri n ci p l es t o th e fact s

. Fu rt h erm o re, t h ere

i s a s t ro n g p res u m

p t io n t h at t h e p erfo rm an ce o f co u n sel was wi t h i n th e

wi d e ran g e o f reas o n ab l e p ro fes s i on al l awy eri ng , an d we can no t reach

a co n t rary co n cl u s i o n u n l es s defen d an t s u cces s fu ll y reb u t s th e

4 See Di ckey v. S t at e

, 25 7 Ga. Ap p

. 1 90

, 19 4 -1 9 5 (3 ) (5 7 0 SE2 d 6 3 4 ) (2 0 0 2 ).

5p res um p t i o n b y cl ear an d co n v i n ci n g ev i d en ce. J ud i ci al s cru t i n y o f

co u n s el ’ s p erfo rm an ce m u s t b e h i gh l y

d eferen t i al

. 5

Th e t ri al co urt p ro n o u nced Pag e’ s s en t en ce an d si g n ed t h e j u d gm en t o f

co n vi ct i o n o n A u gu s t 2 6, an d t h erefo re, wh en Pag e fai l ed t o ap p ear at t h e jai l o n

Au g u s t 29

, t h e t ri al co u rt was au t h o ri zed t o rev o k e h i s p ro bat i on

. 6 To th e ex t en t t h at

Pag e arg u e s h e i s s up p o rt ed b y cas es s t at i n g t h at an o rd er i s no t effect i v e u n t i l i t i s

en t ered on t h e d o ck et

, t h o s e cas es are i n ap p o s i t e to t h e s i t u at i on at h an d

— wh et h er

Pag e was req u i red t o co m p l y wi t h t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s ord er t h at h e ap p ear at t he jai l o n

a d at e cert ai n

— an d d eal wi th p ro ced ural i ss u es of ap p eal o r w i t h ju v en i l e co u rt

p ro ceed in g s

. 7 Fi n al l y

, b ecau s e Pag e was a fi rs t o ffen d er, t h e t ri al co u rt was

5 (Ci t at i o n an d pu nct u at io n o m i t ted .) Ch a l k v. St a te

, 3 1 8 Ga. Ap p

. 45

, 4 6 (1 )

(7 3 3 SE2 d 3 5 1 ) (2 0 1 2), ci t i n g S t r i ckl a n d v. W a sh i n g t o n

, 4 6 6 U

. S. 6 6 8

, 6 8 8 (III) (1 0 4

SCt 2 05 2 , 8 0 LE2 d 6 7 4) (1 98 4 ).

6 See Cu r r

y v. S t a t e

, 2 4 8 Ga. 1 8 3, 1 8 5 ( 4 ) (2 8 1 SE2 d 60 4 ) (1 9 8 1 ). See al s o

Va n n v. S t a t e , 2 3 4 Ga. Ap p

. 1 3 0 (5 0 6 SE2 d 1 7 3 ) (1 9 98 ).

7 See, e.g

., In r e Ti dwel l

, 2 7 9 Ga. Ap p

. 7 3 4

, 73 9 (1 ) (b ) (6 3 2 SE2 d 6 9 0) (2 0 0 6 )

(“ t h e fi l i ng wi t h t h e cl erk o f a ju d g m en t

, s i g n ed b y t h e ju d g e, co n s t it u t es t h e en t ry o f

t h e ju d g m en t, an d

, un l es s t h e co u rt o t h erwi s e d i rect s

, n o ju dg m en t sh al l be effect i v e

fo r an y p u rp o s e u n t i l th e en t ry o f t h e s am e.

. . .”) (p un ct u at i o n o m i t t ed ); S t a t e v.

Mo o r e , 2 0 7 Ga. Ap p . 6 77

, n . 1 (4 2 8 SE2 d 8 1 5 ) (1 9 9 3 ) (“ u n t i l an o rd er i s s ig n ed b y

t h e j u d ge (an d i s fi l ed ) i t is i neffect i v e fo r an y p u rp o s e.”); Un i fo rm J u v en i l e C o u r t

Ru l e 1 7 .1

.

6wi t h h o l d i n g fi n al ad ju d i cat i o n o f g u i l t p en d i n g co m pl et i o n o f t h e s en t en ce, an d

t h erefo re

, n o d ou b l e jeo p ard y co ncern s ex i s t ed wh en t h e co u rt i m p o s ed a n ew

s en t en ce o f co n fi nem en t a f t er Pag e co m

m i t t ed act s l ead i ng t o s ev eral ad d i t i o n al

ch arg es wh i l e s erv i n g t h e Au g u s t 2 6 s en t en ce. 8

Acco rd i ng l y

, b ecau s e an y o b ject i o n t o t h e rev o cat io n o r m o t i o n t o di s m i s s t h e

rev o cat i on p ro ceed i n g m ad e b y co u n s el o n t h i s g ro u n d w o u l d h av e b een d en ied

, Pag e

h as fai l ed t o es t ab l i s h t h at h i s at t o rn ey p erfo rm ed d efi ci en t l y d u ri n g t h e pro ceed i n g

b y fai l i n g t o rai se s u ch an arg u m en t

. 9

Ju d g men t a f f i r m ed . Bo g

g s a n d Mer ci er , JJ., co n cu r

f u l ly a nd s p eci al l y

.

8 “ Do u bl e jeo p ard y do es prev en t a co u rt fro m i m p os i n g ad d i t i o n al p u n i s h m en t

wh ere d o i n g so w o u l d u ps et t h e d efen d an t ’ s l eg i t i m at e ‘ ex pect at i o n o f fi n al i t y i n h i s

s en t en ce’ “ [b u t] a d efen dan t m ay b e res en ten ced aft er th e o ri g i n al s en t en ce h as b eg u n

b ei n g s erv ed

, s o l o n g as (a) s u ch res en t en ci n g is a l l o wed by l aw, an d (b ) t h e

d efen d an t h as n o reas o nab l e ex p ect at i o n i n t h e fi n al i t y o f t he o ri gi nal sen t en ce.”

S t ep h en s v. S t a t e

, 2 8 9 G a. 7 5 8

, 7 6 4 (2 ) (b ) (2 ) (7 1 6 SE2 d 1 5 4 ) (2 0 11 ) (ci t at i on s

o m it t ed ), q u o t i n g W

i l f o r d v. S t a t e

, 2 7 8 G a. 71 8

, 7 1 9 -7 20 (6 0 6 SE2 d 2 5 2 ) (2 0 0 4 ), an d

Un i ted S t a t es v. Di

Fr a n ces co

, 4 4 9 U. S. 11 7

, 1 3 6 (1 0 1 SCt 42 6

, 6 6 L E2 d 3 2 8 )

(1 9 8 0). See al s o OCGA § 4 2 -8 -6 0

.

9 See Jo n es v. S t a t e

, 3 2 9 Ga. Ap p

. 4 3 9

, 4 4 8 (4 ) (7 6 5 SE2 d 6 39 ) ( 2 0 1 4 )

(ex p l ai n i n g th at “ t he fai l u re t o m ak e a m eri t l es s ob ject io n ca n n o t b e ev id en ce o f

i n effect i v e as s is t an ce.”) (p u n ct u at i o n o m i t t ed ). Cf. Ch a l k

, 3 1 8 Ga. Ap p

. at 4 8 -4 9 (1 )

(c) (h ol d i n g t h at co u n s el was n ot i n effect i v e fo r fai li n g t o fi l e a m o t i o n t o d is m i s s o n

s p eed y t ri al gro u n d s ); Ph i ll i p s v. S t a t e

, 2 7 8 Ga. Ap p. 1 9 8

, 2 0 1 -2 03 (2 ) (a) (6 2 8 SE2 d

6 3 1 ) (2 00 6 ) (h o l d in g t h at co un s el w as no t i n effect i v e fo r fai l i n g t o fi l e a m o t i o n t o

d i s m i s s b as ed o n t h e s uffi ci en cy o f t h e i nd i ct m en t).

7A1 5 A1 95 2 . PAGE v . THE STATE.

B O G G S , J u d g e, co n cu rri n g fu l l y an d s p eci al l y

.

W h i l e I co n cu r fu l l y wi t h t he m ajo ri t y, I wri t e s p eci al l y t o p o i n t o u t t h at t h e

i s su e in Di v i s i o n 2 i s n o t th e d at e Pag e b eg an t o s erv e h i s s en t en ce, n o r i s i t t h e d at e

t h e ju d g m en t o f co n v i ct io n an d s en t en ce was fi led w i t h th e cl erk

. Rat h er, t h e ev en t

t h a t g i v es ri s e t o t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s au t h ori t y t o rev o ke pro b at i o n fo r v io l at i o n o f a

co n di t i o n o f t h e s en t en ce i s t h e i m p o si t i o n o f t h e s en ten ce i t s el f, b o t h l o g i cal l y an d

p ract i cal l y

. An d t h e co u rt ’ s s en t en ce b eco m es effect i v e on ce i t is red u ced to wri t i n g

an d s i g ned b y t h e t ri al ju d g e

. C u r r y v

. St a t e

, 2 4 8 Ga. 1 8 3

, 1 8 5 (4 ) (2 8 1 SE2 d 6 0 4 )

(1 9 8 1) (“ An o ral d ecl arat i on as t o wh at th e sen t en ce sh al l b e i s n o t t h e sen t en ce o f t h eco u rt ; t h e s en t en ce s i g n ed b y t h e ju d g e i s [ ] ”), ci t i n g Mo r g an v. Mo u n t

, 19 5 Ga. 2 8 1

( 2 4 S E 2 d 1 7 ) (1 9 43 ) (l eg al s en t en ce i s as p u t i n wri ti n g an d s i gn ed by th e ju d g e )

.

In d eed

, o n ce s en t en ce is p ro n o u n ced

, t h e accu s ed i s i n l eg al cu s t o dy an d n o t free to

l eav e. See S

u t er v. S t a t e

, 2 5 9 Ga. Ap p . 2 8, 2 9 (1 ) (5 7 6 SE2 d 1 0 ) (2 0 0 2 ).

W h i l e t h e fi n al it y o f a cri m i n al j u d gm en t ( d e t e r m i n ed b y t h e fi l i n g o f t h e

ju d g m en t wi t h t h e cl erk ) i s req u i red

, fo r ex am p l e, t o p u rs u e an ap p eal u n d er t h e

Ap p el l at e Pract i ce Act 1 or t o d et erm i n e t h e t erm o f co u rt wi t h i n w h i ch t h e t ri al co u rt

en t ered it s ju dg m en t

, 2 i t d o es n o t co n t ro l t h e effect i v e d at e o f th e s en ten ce. Th e d at e

a fi n al ju d g m en t o f co n v i ct io n an d s en ten ce b eco m es effect i v e, an d th e d at e t h e

s e n t e n ce b eco m es effect i v e fo r p u rp o s es o f en fo rci n g t h e p u n i s h m en t i m p o s ed

, a r e

i n d e p e n d en t o f each o t h er fo r t h e s i m p l e reas on t h at t he t ri al co u rt m u st h av e t h e

au t h o ri t y t o i m

m ed i at el y en fo rce wh at i t ju s t i m po s ed b y a wri tt en an d s i g ned o rd er.

Pag e’ s s en t en ce becam e effect i v e on Au g u s t 2 6 w h en t h e o rd er was si g n ed by

t h e t ri al co u rt

. Th erefo re

, w h en Pag e v i ol at ed a sp eci al co nd i t i o n o f t h at s en t en ce

1 See Jen ki n s v. S t a t e , 2 8 4 Ga. 6 4 2 , 6 43 (1 ) (6 7 0 SE2 d 4 25 ) (2 0 0 8 ).

2 Bo wen v. S t a te

, 1 44 Ga. Ap p

. 3 2 9, 3 32 -3 3 3 (2 4 1 SE2 d 4 3 1) (1 9 7 7 ) (en t ry o f

ju d g m en t i s wh en it i s fi l ed wi th t h e cl erk ; t ri al ju d g e h as p o w er d u ri n g t he t erm o f

co u rt i n wh i ch ju d g m en t i s e n t e r ed t o rev i s e, co rrect

, rev o ke, o r m o d i fy t h at

ju d g m en t ).

2t h ree d ay s l at er (an d b efo re h e ev en b eg an t o s erv e ti m e u n d er t h e s en t en ce), t h e t ri al

co u rt was wi t h in i ts au t h ori ty t o rev o k e h i s p ro b at io n fo r s u ch v i o lat i o n

. It i s fo r t h i s

reas on th at Pag e’ s i n effect i v e as s is t an ce cl ai m is wi t h o u t m eri t

, as h e h as n o t s h o wn

t h at h i s tri al co u ns el perfo rm ed d efi ci en t l y i n fai li n g t o at t ack th e rev o cat i o n o n t h i s

g ro u nd

.

I am au t h o ri zed t o s t at e t h at J u d g e M erci er jo i n s i n t h i s s p eci al co n cu rren ce.

3