### IN THE CO URT OF CR IMINAL APPEALS OF T ENN ESSEE AT JACKSON Ass ig ne d o n B rie fs Jan ua ry 8, 2 01 3

MICH AEL L. SMI TH v . STATE O F TENNESSE E

D irect A p p ea l f

ro m th e C ircu it C o u rt f o r L a ke C o u n ty N o . 1 1 -C R -9 6 4 0 R . L ee M o o re, J r., J u d g e

N o . W 2 0 1 2 -0 1 6 0 4 -C C A -R 3 -H C - F iled J u ly 1 5 , 2 0 1 3

P etitio n er, M ich ael L

. S m ith
, ap p eals f ro m th e trial co u rt’s su m m ary d ism issal o f th e p ro se p etitio n f o r h ab eas co rp u s relief f

iled b y P etitio n er. A f

ter a th o ro u g h rev iew o f th e reco rd

an d th e b rief

s, w e af f irm th e j u d g m en t o f

th e h ab eas co rp u s trial co u rt.

T en n . R . A p p . P . 3 A p p ea l a s o f R ig h t; J u d g m en t o f

th e C ircu it C o u rt A f

f irm ed

T H O M A S T

. W O O D A L L , J., d eliv ered th e o p in io n o f th e C o u rt, in w h ich J E R R Y L

. S M IT H an d D

. K E L L Y T H O M A S , J R ., JJ., j o in ed

.

M ich ael L . S m ith
, P ro S

e

.

R o b ert E

. C o o p er, Jr., A tto rn ey G en eral an d R ep o rter; M ered ith D ev au lt, A ssistan t A tto rn ey G e n eral; an d C

. P h illip B iv en s, D istrict A tto rn ey G en eral, f o r th e ap p ellee, th e S ta t e o f T en n essee.

O P IN IO N

B a ckg ro u n d

O n Ju ly 2 4
, 1 9 8 6
, P etitio n er p led g u ilty to arm ed ro b b ery , a C lass X crim e, th at

o ccu rred o n F eb ru ary 2 5
, 1 9 8 6

. H e receiv ed an ag reed u p o n f o rty -y ear sen ten ce as a R an g e II, A g g rav ated an d P ersisten t o f f en d er. T h e p lea ag reem en t stated th at th e p aro le elig ib ility d ate w o u ld b e at 4 0 %
, an d th e ag reem en t also stated th at P etitio n er’s sen ten ce “m ay resu lt in rev o catio n o f p aro le in [ th e] S tate o f Wisco n sin

. Wisco n sin m ay th en o rd er th at sen ten ce

co n secu tiv e (in ad d itio n to - o n to p o f h is T en n essee sen ten ce.)” Th e j u d g m en t en tered o n Ju ly 2 4
, 1 9 8 6
, ref

lected a 5 0 % p aro le re l e a s e e l i g ib ility d ate. A n am en d ed j u d g m en t w as

en tered o n th at sam e d ate ref lectin g a 4 0 % p aro le release elig ib ility d ate.P etitio n er f iled h is f irst p etitio n f

o r p o st-co n v ictio n relief o n Ju ly 2 2
, 1 9 8 7
, w h ich h e

m o v ed to w ith d raw , an d o n A p ril 1 1
, 1 9 8 8
, th e trial co u rt d ism issed th e p etitio n

. M ich a el L

. S m ith v.S ta te , N o

. 1 1 7 6
, 1 9 9 1 WL 6 4 5 5 0 (T en n

. C rim

. A p p

. A p ril 2 6
, 1 9 9 1 ) p erm

. a p p

. d en ied (T en n

. D ep t. 9
, 1 9 9 1 ). O n Ju n e 3 0
, 1 9 8 9
, P etitio n er f iled an o th er p etitio n f

o r p o stco n v ictio n relief essen tially raisin g th e sam e g ro u n d s a s t h e f irst p etitio n

. T h e p o stco n v ictio n co u rt th en d ism issed th e p etitio n w ith o u t an ev id en tiary h earin g h o ld in g th at all issu es h ad b een w aiv ed b e c a u se P etitio n er h ad an o p p o rtu n ity to p resen t th em in h is f irst
p etitio n “b u t, at h is o w n req u est, d ecid ed n o t to d o so .” Id

. at * 1

. O n ap p eal, th is C o u rt h eld th at th e p o st-co n v ictio n co u rt erred in co n clu d in g th at all o f P etitio n er’s claim s f o r relief h ad b een w aiv ed an d rema n d e d t h e cased f o r an ev id en tiary h earin g

. Id

. at * 2

. A f ter an

ev id en tiary h earin g , th e p o st-co n v ictio n co u rt d en ied th e p o st-co n v ictio n p etitio n , an d th is C o u rt af f irm ed th e d en ial o n ap p eal. M ich a el L

. S

m ith v

. S tate, N o

. 0 3 -C -0 1 -9 2 0 5 -C R

0 0 1 5 7 , 1 9 9 3 WL 4 6 5 8 7 (T en n . C rim . A p p . F eb . 2 4 , 1 9 9 3 ) p erm

. a p p

. d en ied (T en n . Ju n e 1 , 1 9 9 3 ).

O n M arch 1 5
, 1 9 9 4
, P etitio n er f iled a th ird p etitio n f

o r p o st-co n v ictio n relief alleg in g th at h is co u n sel in h is seco n d p o st-co n v ictio n p ro ceed in g w as in ef f ectiv e. T h e p o s t

co n v ictio n co u rt d en ied th e p etitio n w ith o u t an ev id en tiary h earin g

. O n ap p eal, th is C o u rt af f irm ed th e d en ial h o ld in g th at th e p e titio n w as b arred b y th e th ree-y ear statu te o f lim itatio n s an d th at th e P o st-C o n v ictio n P ro ced u re A ct d id n o t p ro v id e a rem ed y f o r erro rs

o f co u n sel in p o st-co n v ictio n su its. M ich a el L

. S

m ith v. S ta te , N o

. 0 3 C 0 1 -9 5 0 1 -C R -0 0 0 1 0
, 1 9 9 5 WL 3 8 0 0 8 3 (T en n

. C rim

. A p p

. Ju n e 2 2
, 1 9 9 5 ) p erm

. a p p

. d en ied (T en n

. N o v

. 6
, 1 9 9 5 ).

O n A u g u st 1 0
, 2 0 0 4
, P etitio n er f iled a p ro se p etitio n f

o r w rit o f h ab eas co rp u s. H e alleg ed th at h is g u ilty p lea w as n o t k n o w in g an d v o lu n tary “in th at it w as b ased o n a ‘n o n

ex isten t’ statu to ry w aiv er o f rig h ts to accu rately in f o rm h im o r m isrep resen ted to h im th e law
reg ard in g th e accep tan ce o f h is g u ilty p lea.” T h e trial co u rt su m m arily d ism issed th e p etitio n

co n clu d in g th at P etitio n er f ailed to p resen t a co g n izab le claim f o r relief

. T h is co u rt af

f irm ed
t h e trial co u rt’s d en ial

. M ich a el L

. S

m ith v. S ta te , N o

. E 2 0 0 4 -0 2 7 5 2 -C C A -R 3 -H C
, 2 0 0 5 WL 1 6 5 1 7 4 4 (T en n . C rim . A p p . Ju ly 1 3 , 2 0 0 5 ).

O n N o v em

b er 1 0
, 2 0 1 1
, P etitio n er f

iled a seco n d p etitio n f

o r w rit o f h ab eas co rp u s. H e arg u ed :

T h e d ef en d an t w as sen ten ced u n d er th e C la s s X S e n t en ce L aw an d th e j u d g m en t o rd er h as h im ch arg ed in m u ltip le ran g es (R an g e II, p ersisten t an d h ab itu al crim in al). T h e d ef en d an t w as sen ten ced at 5 0 %
, b u t T O M IS O f f en d er S en ten ce L etter in d icates 4 0 % [ .] T en n essee D ep artm en t o f C o rrectio n s lack s j u risd ictio n to co rrect o r ch an g e a o rd er o f th e co u rt.

-2

-P etitio n er n o ted th at in acco rd an ce w ith th e “S en ten cin g A ct o f 1 9 8 9 ,” ag g rav ated ro b b ery

w as a C lass B f

elo n y w ith a sen ten cin g ran g e o f tw elv e to tw en ty y ears at th irty -f iv e p ercen t f o r a R an g e II m

u ltip le o f f en d er, an d tw en ty

to th irty y ears at f o rty p ercen t f

o r a R an g e III p ersisten t o f

f en d er. P etitio n er arg u ed th at h e co u ld n o t b e ch arg e d w i th “m u ltip le ran g es

an d co n v icted in th is m an n er.”

P etitio n er also asser t e d t h at at th e tim e o f h is co n v ictio n , h e h ad o n ly tw o p rio r f elo n ies w h ich m ad e h im a R an g e II m u ltip le o f f en d er an d th at h e w as sen ten ced o u tsid e th e estab lish ed g u id elin es f

o r a R an g e II o f

f en d er. F in ally
, h e a l l e g e d th at th ere w as a d iscrep an cy in th e len g th o f sen ten ce th at h e receiv ed an d th e len g th th at h e w o u ld h av e receiv ed u n d er th e S en ten cin g R ef o rm A ct o f 1 9 8 9 . M o re sp ecif

ically , P etitio n er stated :

T h e S en ten ce R ef

o rm A ct o f 1 9 8 9 states A g g rav ated [ R o b b ery ] as a C lass B f elo n y , at o n ly th e C areer O f f en d er R an g e co u ld y o u en co m p ass a sen ten ce o f 4 0 y ears, b u t th e p ercen tag e co u ld ex ceed 5 0 % to 6 0 % . T h is so lely d isp lay s th e reaso n in g , th at th e d ef en d an t w as o r m ay h av e b een co n v icted as a career

o f f en d er, o u tsid e th e g u id an ce estab lish ed T en n essee’s G en eral A ssem b ly

.

T h e h ab eas co rp u s co u rt d en ied th e p etitio n er’s p etitio n f in d in g th at P etitio n er f

ailed
to state a co g n izab le claim f o r h ab eas co rp u s relief

. T h e trial co u rt f

u rth er stated :

D iscrep an cies b etw een th e sen ten ce in 1 9 8 6 an d w h at a sen ten ce f o r th e sam e

o f f en se o r o f f en ses m ig h t h av e b een af

ter th e S en ten cin g A ct o f 1 9 8 9
, d o n o t

ren d er th e j u d g m en t v o id o r illeg al. In f act, th ere is n o alleg atio n o f f act th at

w o u ld m ak e th e j u d g m en t v o id o r illeg al. A t b est th e j u d g m en t is v o id ab le.

A n a ly sis

O n ap p eal, P etitio n er arg u es th at th e j u d g m en t in h is c ase w as “v o id /v o id ab le” b ecau se th ere w as a m istak e o n th e j u d g m en t f o rm in d icatin g t h a t h i s s en ten ce w as to b e

serv ed at f

if ty p ercen t. H e also arg u es th at h e w as illeg ally sen ten ced u n d er th e “H ab itu al C rim in al L aw an d a C lass X C rim e” an d th at h e sh o u ld b e resen ten ced u n d er th e T en n essee S en ten cin g R ef

o rm A ct o f 1 9 8 9

. P etitio n er asserts th at h is sen ten ce w as ex cessiv e b ecau se h e w as sen ten ced o u tsid e o f th e ran g e f o r a R an g e II o f

f en d er, an d h e co n ten d s th at h e receiv ed in ef

f ectiv e assistan ce o f

trial co u n sel.

T h e rig h t to h ab eas co rp u s relief is av ailab le “o n ly w h en ‘it ap p ears u p o n th e f ace o f th e j u d g m en t o r th e reco rd o f th e p ro ceed in g s u p o n w h ich th e j u d g m en t is ren d ered ’ th at a

co n v ictin g co u rt w as w ith o u t j u r i s d i c t i o n o r au th o rity to sen ten ce a d ef en d an t, o r th at a d ef en d an t’s sen ten ce o f im

p riso n m en t o r o th er restrain t h as ex p ired .” S u m m ers v. S ta te , 2 1 2

-3

-S .W.3 d 2 5 1
, 2 5 5 (T en n

. 2 0 0 7 ) (q u o tin g A rch er v. S ta te , 8 5 1 S .W.2 d 1 5 7
, 1 6 4 (T en n

.

1 9 9 3 )). In co n trast to a p o st-co n v ictio n p etitio n , a h ab eas co rp u s p etitio n is u sed to ch allen g e

v o i d a n d n o t m erely v o id ab le j u d g m en ts. S u m m ers, 2 1 2 S .W.3 d at 2 5 5 -5 6

. A v o id ab le j u d g m en t is o n e th at is f

acially v alid an d req u ires p ro o f b ey o n d th e f a c e o f t h e reco rd o r j u d g m en t to estab lish its in v alid ity

. Id

. at 2 5 6 ; D yke s v

. C o m

p to n , 9 7 8 S .W.2 d 5 2 8
, 5 2 9 (T en n

. 1 9 9 8 )

. A v o id j u d g m en t “is o n e in w h ich th e j u d g m en t is f acially in v alid b ecau se th e co u rt lack ed j u risd i c t i o n o r au th o rity to ren d er th e j u d g m en t.” T a ylo r v. S ta te , 9 9 5 S .W.2 d 7 8 , 8 3 (T en n . 1 9 9 9 ); D ykes, 9 7 8 S .W.2 d at 5 2 9

.

A p etitio n er b ears th e b u rd en o f p ro v in g a v o id j u d g m en t o r illeg al co n f in em en t b y

a p rep o n d eran ce o f th e ev id en ce. Wya tt v. S ta te , 2 4 S .W.3 d 3 1 9
, 3 2 2 (T en n

. 2 0 0 0 ). A trial

co u rt m ay su m m arily d ism iss a p etitio n f o r w rit o f h ab eas co rp u s w ith o u t th e ap p o in tm en t

o f co u n sel an d w ith o u t an ev id en tiary h earin g if th ere is n o th in g o n th e f ace o f th e j u d g m en t to in d icate th at th e co n v ictio n s ad d ressed th erein are v o id

. S e e S u m m ers , 2 1 2 S .W.3 d at 2 6 0 ; H ickm a n v. S ta te , 1 5 3 S .W.3 d 1 6 , 2 0 (T en n . 2 0 0 4 ).

T h e d eterm in atio n o f w h eth er h ab eas co rp u s relief sh o u ld b e g ran ted is a q u estio n o f law

. S u m m ers , 2 1 2 S .W.3 d at 2 5 5 ; H a rt v. S ta te , 2 1 S .W.3 d 9 0 1
, 9 0 3 (T en n

. 2 0 0 0 ). T h eref o re, o u r rev iew is d

e n o vo w ith n o p resu m

p tio n o f co rrectn ess g iv en to th e f in d in g s

an d co n clu sio n s o f th e lo w er co u rt. S u m m ers , 2 1 2 S .W.3 d at 2 5 5 ; S ta te v. L ivin g sto n , 1 9 7 S .W.3 d 7 1 0 , 7 1 2 (T en n . 2 0 0 6 ).

T h e p ro ced u ral req u irem en ts f o r h ab eas co rp u s relief are m an d at o r y an d m u st b e

scru p u lo u sly f

o llo w ed

. S

u m m ers , 2 1 2 S

. W.3 d at 2 6 0 ; H ickm a n , 1 5 3 S .W.3 d at 1 9 -2 0 ; A rch er , 8 5 1 S .W.2 d at 1 6 5

. T h e f o rm al req u irem en ts f

o r an ap p licatio n o r p etitio n f o r w rit

o f h ab eas co rp u s are f

o u n d at T .C .A . § 2 9 -2 1 -1 0 7 :
(a) A p p licatio n f

o r th e w rit sh all b e m ad e b y p e t i t i o n , sig n ed b y eith er th e p arty f o r w h o se b en ef

it it is in ten d ed
, o r so m e p erso n o n th e p etitio n er’s b eh alf , an d v erif

ied b y af f id av it.

(b ) T h e p etitio n sh all state:

(1 ) T h at th e p erso n i n w h o s e b eh alf th e w rit is so u g h t, is illeg ally restrain ed o f lib erty , an d th e p erso n b y w h o m an d p lace w h ere restrain ed
, m en tio n in g th e n am e o f su ch p erso n , i f k n o w n , an d if unknown, de s c r i b i n g t

h e p e r s o n w i t

h a s m u c h p a r t i c u l a r i t y a s p r a c t i c a

bl e ;
(2 ) T h e cau se o r p reten se o f su ch restrain t acco rd in g to th e b est in f o rm atio n o f th e ap p lican t, an d if it b e b y v irtu e o f an y leg al p ro cess,

-4

-a co p y th ereo f sh all b e an n ex ed
, o r a satisf acto ry reaso n g i v e n f

o r its ab sen ce;
(3 ) T h at th e leg ality o f th e restrain t h as n o t alread y b een ad j u d g ed u p o n

a p rio r p ro ceed in g o f th e sam e ch aracter, to th e b est o f th e ap p lican t’s k n o w led g e an d b elief

; an d

(4 ) T h at it is th e f

irs t ap p licatio n f

o r th e w rit, o r, if a p rev io u s ap p licatio n h as b een m ad e, a co p y o f th e p etitio n an d p ro ceed in g s th ere sh all b e p ro d u ced
, o r s atisf acto ry reaso n s sh o u ld b e g iv en f o r th e f ailu re to d o so

.

T .C .A . § 2 9 -2 1 -1 0 7

.

I n i t i a l l y w e p o in t o u t, as arg u ed b y th e S tate, th at P etitio n er in th is case f ailed t o

co m p ly w ith th e m an d ato ry req u irem en ts f o r h ab eas co rp u s relief

. F irst, P etitio n er f

ailed to state th at h e h ad p rev io u sly so u g h t h ab eas co rp u s relief f ro m th e p resen t j u d g m en t o r attach “a co p y o f th e p etitio n an d p ro ceed in g s

. . . o r [ g iv e] satisf acto ry reaso n s

. . . f

o r th e f ailu re to d o so .” T .C .A . § 2 9 -2 1 -1 0 7 (b )(4 ). In h is p etitio n , P etitio n er stated : “P etitio n er av er[ s] th at th is is h is f

irst ap p licatio n f

o r Writ o f H ab eas C o rp u s o f th is j u d g m en t an d th at th at th e leg ality o f su ch restrain ts h as n o t b een ad j u d g e d in a p rio r p ro ceed in g o f th e sam e ch aracter.” H o w ev er, as p rev io u sly d iscu ssed
, P etitio n er f iled a p etitio n f

o r w rit o f h ab eas

co rp u s ch allen g in g h is j u d g m en t in th is case o n A u g u st 1 0
, 2 0 0 4
, an d h e ap p ealed th e d en ial

o f h is p etitio n to th is C o u rt. M ich a el L

. S

m ith v. S ta te , N o

. E 2 0 0 4 -0 2 7 5 2 -C C A -R 3

- H C
, 2 0 0 5 WL 1 6 5 1 7 4 4 (T en n

. C rim

. A p p

. Ju ly 1 3
, 2 0 0 5 ). P etitio n er also f ailed to co m

p ly w ith T .C .A

. § 2 9 -2 1 -1 0 7 (a) b y f ailin g to v erif

y h is p etitio n b y af

f id av it. “A h ab eas co rp u s co u rt

m ay p ro p erly ch o o se to d ism iss a p etitio n f o r f ailin g to co m

p ly w ith th e statu to ry p ro ced u ral
req u irem en ts. . . .” S

u m m ers , 2 1 2 S .W.3 d at 2 6 0 ; H ickm a n , 1 5 3 S .W.3 d at 2 1

.

Al t hough Pe t i t i one r fa i l ed to f o llo w th e p ro ced u ral req u irem en ts n ecessary f o r h ab eas

rev iew
, w e w ill b rief

ly ad d ress h is claim s. P etitio n er seek s rev iew o f h is sen ten ce claim in g th at h e w as sen ten ced o u t s i d e o f h is ran g e an d th at h e sh o u ld b e resen ten ced u n d er th e T en n essee S en ten cin g R ef o rm A ct o f 1 9 8 9

. H o w ev er, P etitio n er receiv ed th e sen ten ce th at

w as ag reed u p o n in h is p lea ag reem en t u n d er th e 1 9 8 2 S en ten cin g A ct. “[ A ] k n o w in g an d

v o lu n tary g u ilty p lea w aiv es an y irreg u larity as to o f f en d er clas s i f

i c a t io n o r release elig ib ility .” H

icks v. S ta te , 9 4 5 S .W.2 d 7 0 6
, 7 0 9 (T en n

. 1 9 9 7 ). U n d er th e ap p licab le law
at th e tim e P etitio n er w as sen ten ced
, a term o f im p riso n m en t o f n o t less th an ten y ears to lif e im p riso n m en t w as au th o rized f o r th e crim e o f ro b b ery acco m p lish ed b y th e u se o f a d ead ly

w eap o n . T .C .A . § 3 9 -2 -5 0 1 (1 9 8 2 )(rep ealed 1 9 8 9 ); S ee a lso S teve V

. Wa lker v. S ta te , N o

. W2 0 0 6 -0 1 1 7 0 -C C A -R 3 -H C
, 2 0 0 7 WL 2 9 3 5 6 2 0
, at * 1
, 3 (T en n

. C rim

. A p p

. O ct. 9
, 2 0 0 7 ).

-5

-T h eref

o re, P etitio n er’s sen ten ce w as p ro p er. P etitio n er also arg u es th at th ere w as a m istak e

o n th e j u d g m en t f

o rm in d icatin g th at h is sen ten ce w as to b e serv ed at f if ty p erce n t r a t h er th an th e ag reed -u p o n f

o rty p ercen t. H o w ev er, as p rev io u sly n o ted , an am en d ed j u d g m en t

w as later en tered ref

lectin g th e co rrect release elig ib ility o f f o rty p ercen t.

F in ally
, P e t i t i one r a

r gue s t h at h e receiv ed in ef

f ectiv e assistan ce o f trial co u n sel. F irst,

w e n o te th at th is issu e w as n o t raised in th e trial co u rt in P etitio n er’s h ab eas co rp u s p etitio n

. T h eref o re, it is w aiv ed

. T en n

. R

. A p p

. P

. 3 6 (a). C laim s o f in ef f ectiv e assistan ce o f co u n sel

are n o t co g n izab le g ro u n d s f o r h ab eas co rp u s relief

. P a ssa rella v. S ta te , 8 9 1 S .W.2 d 6 1 9
, 6 2 7 (T en n . C rim . A p p . 1 9 9 4 ).

It is o b v io u s th at n o th in g in th e reco rd in d icates th at P etitio n er’s co n v ictio n o r

s e n ten ce is v o id

. T h e h ab eas co rp u s trial co u rt m ay su m m arily d ism iss a h ab eas co rp u s p etitio n w ith o u t an ev id en tiary h earin g if th ere is n o th in g o n t h e f a c e o f th e reco rd o r j u d g m en t to in d icate th at th e co n v ictio n o r sen ten ce are v o id

. P a ssa rella
, 8 9 1 S .W.2 d at 6 2 7 ; see a lso T en n

. C o d e A n n

. § 2 9 -2 1 -1 0 9 (2 0 1 0 R ep l.). P etitio n er is n o t en titled to relief

o n ap p eal. T h e j u d g m en t o f th e h ab eas co rp u s trial co u rt is af f irm ed

.

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