Case Name: Jeffrey R. BROWN, Appellant, v. STATE of Florida, Appellee
Court: Florida District Court of Appeal
Jurisdiction: Florida
Decision Date: 1994-07-19
Citations: 647 So. 2d 197
Docket Number: No. 93-2694
Parties: Jeffrey R. BROWN, Appellant, v. STATE of Florida, Appellee.
Judges: ALLEN and WEBSTER, JJ., concur.
Reporter: Southern Reporter, Second Series
Volume: 647
Pages: 197–199

Head Matter:
Jeffrey R. BROWN, Appellant, v. STATE of Florida, Appellee.
No. 93-2694.
District Court of Appeal of Florida, First District.
July 19, 1994.
Jeffrey Brown, pro se.
No appearance for appellee.

Opinion:
PER CURIAM.
Appellant seeks review of an order which summarily denied his motion and amended motion for postconvietion relief, filed pursuant to rule 3.850, Florida Rules of Criminal Procedure. Fairly read, the motions together allege (1) that the split sentence imposed upon appellant is a departure sentence which violated the terms of the plea agreement, and for which no written reason was given; (2) that appellant's plea was involuntary because he believed that the plea agreement contemplated a split sentence which would fall within the guidelines; and (3) that appellant was denied effective assistance of counsel because his attorney led him to believe that the split sentence would fall within the guidelines, and never told him that probation is not subject to the guidelines. We affirm the summary denial as to the first ground asserted in the motions. However, we reverse as to the remaining two grounds, and remand for further proceedings.
The record reflects that appellant pled no contest to DUI manslaughter in return for a promise that he would receive a guidelines sentence. The guidelines score- sheet reflects a recommended range of five years (three to seven years), and a permitted range of community control or one to twelve years' incarceration. Appellant was sentenced to four years in prison, to be followed by ten years' probation. Here, as in Durden v. State, 582 So.2d 1256, 1257 (Fla. 1st DCA 1991), "[b]ecause the incarcerative portion of appellant's sentence fell within the permitted range of the guidelines and the total sanction fell within the maximum term provided by general law, the sentence did not exceed the guidelines or go beyond the terms of the negotiated plea." Therefore, the trial court's ruling with regard to the first ground asserted was correct.
As his second ground, appellant asserts that his plea was involuntary because he believed, mistakenly, that the plea agreement contemplated a split sentence which would fall within the guidelines. Such an allegation has been found legally sufficient. See, e.g., Eggers v. State, 624 So.2d 336 (Fla. 1st DCA 1993); Green v. Dugger, 575 So.2d 750 (Fla. 2d DCA 1991); Jefferson v. State, 515 So.2d 407 (Fla. 1st DCA 1987). Accordingly, the trial court's ruling was incorrect with regard to the second ground asserted.
As his third ground, appellant asserts that he was denied effective assistance of counsel because his attorney led him to believe that the split sentence would fall within the guidelines, and did not tell him that probation is not subject to the guidelines. Rule 3.171(c)(2)(B), Florida Rules of Criminal Procedure, provides, in relevant part, that "[djefense counsel shall advise [the] defendant of . all pertinent matters bearing on the choice of which plea to enter and the particulars attendant upon each plea and the likely results thereof...." In other words, "defense counsel has the obligation to ensure that a defendant understands the direct consequences of his plea." Setzer v. State, 575 So.2d 747 (Fla. 5th DCA 1991). If appellant's allegations prove to be true, it would appear that his attorney failed to fulfill his obligation. Accordingly, the trial court's ruling was incorrect with regard to the third ground as well.
We affirm the summary denial of postcon-viction relief as to the first ground asserted in appellant's motions. However, we reverse the summary denial as to the remaining two grounds; and we remand to the trial court for further proceedings. On remand, the trial court may again summarily deny relief if it attaches to its order portions of the record conclusively establishing that appellant is not entitled to relief. Otherwise, it will be necessary to conduct an evidentiary hearing.
AFFIRMED IN PART; REVERSED IN PART; and REMANDED, with directions.
ALLEN and WEBSTER, JJ., concur.
BOOTH, J., concurs in part and dissents in part with written opinion.