Case Name: Barry HOFFMAN, Petitioner, v. L. Page HADDOCK, etc. Respondent
Court: Florida Supreme Court
Jurisdiction: Florida
Decision Date: 1997-05-30
Citations: 695 So. 2d 682
Docket Number: No. 90403
Parties: Barry HOFFMAN, Petitioner, v. L. Page HADDOCK, etc. Respondent.
Judges: KOGAN, C.J., and OVERTON, SHAW, GRIMES and ANSTEAD, JJ., concur.
Reporter: Southern Reporter, Second Series
Volume: 695
Pages: 682–685

Head Matter:
Barry HOFFMAN, Petitioner, v. L. Page HADDOCK, etc. Respondent.
No. 90403.
Supreme Court of Florida.
May 30, 1997.
Stephen M. Kissinger, Assistant CCR, Office of the Capital Collateral Representative, Tallahassee, for Petitioner.
Robert A. Butterworth, Attorney General and Barbara J. Yates, Assistant Attorney General, Tallahassee; and Harry Shorstein, State Attorney and Laura L. Starrett, Assistant State Attorney, Jacksonville, on behalf of The State of Florida; Fred D. Franklin, Jr., General Counsel and Howard M. Maltz, Assistant General Counsel, Jacksonville, on behalf of The City of Jacksonville and Duval County; and George L. Dorsett, Assistant County Attorney, Orange County Attorney’s Office, Orlando, on behalf of Florida Association of County Attorneys, for Respondent.

Opinion:
PER CURIAM.
Barry Hoffman petitions this Court for writ of prohibition to prevent Judge L. Page Haddock from holding a postconvietion evi-dentiary hearing on Hoffman's first-degree murder conviction and sentence of death because of a lack of funds in the budget of the Capital Collateral Representative (CCR). We have jurisdiction. Art. V, § 3(b)(7), Fla. Const. For the reasons expressed, we grant a stay of the evidentiary hearing in this matter until July 15,1997.
The facts of this ease are as follows. Hoffman was sentenced to death for a 1980 contract murder. That sentence was affirmed by this Court in 1985. Hoffman v. State, 474 So.2d 1178 (Fla.1985). In 1990, we concluded that the trial judge had erroneously denied Hoffman's Florida Rule of Criminal Procedure 3.850 motion without holding an eviden-tiary hearing and we remanded the case for an evidentiary hearing and public records request evaluation. Hoffman v. State, 571 So.2d 449 (Fla.1990). In 1992, we again remanded this case for an evidentiary hearing and specifically ordered that a hearing be held on his public records requests. Hoffman v. State, 613 So.2d 405 (Fla.1992). From the status report filed with this Court by the circuit court on this case, it appears that an amended motion to vacate judgment was filed on June 18, 1993, but has not been acted on because of "public records production litigation and requests for continuances from CCR due to understaffing." The public records production litigation referred to in the status report was Asay v. Florida Parole Comm'n, 649 So.2d 859 (Fla.1994), cert. denied; — U.S. -, 116 S.Ct. 591, 133 L.Ed.2d 505 (1995), a consolidated action regarding records held by the clemency board. This postconvietion proceeding was stayed during the pendency of that suit.
Judge Haddock was scheduled to hold an evidentiary hearing April 29, 1997, through May 2, 1997, on Hoffman's motion to vacate judgment. CCR, which represents Hoffman in his postconvietion proceedings, asked Judge Haddock to again continue this case, this time asserting that CCR is without funds to pay the costs of the proceeding. Judge Haddock refused to grant the continuance.
In this petition, CCR asks that this Court issue a writ to prohibit Judge Haddock from holding the hearing unless Duval County or the City of Jacksonville is required to pay all costs associated with the hearing. In the alternative, CCR asks this Court to issue a writ of mandamus directing Judge Haddock to continue the hearing until after the beginning of CCR's next fiscal year, which begins July 1,1997.
In its petition, CCR asserts that, as of April 23, 1997, it had expended all its available funds for the 1996-97 fiscal year. According to CCR, it cannot possibly represent Hoffman at the April 29 hearing in this cause because it has no money for witnesses, costs, or even transportation and lodging for the litigation team. It asserts that this lack of funding is the result of a ten-year history of continual underfunding of CCR. Additionally, it contends that it has experienced a huge increase in case load and court proceedings due to the actions of this Court, the legislature, and other agencies, as well as the federal Anti-Terrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act of 1996, which imposes a one-year time limit on state prisoners in which to file a federal habeas petition. Based on these allegations, this Court stayed the evidentiary hearing and set this matter for emergency oral argument.
The State argues that relief should not be granted in this case because any deficit in funds is the result of irresponsible planning. While we do not disagree that the deficit may be the result of irresponsible planning, under the circumstances, we are compelled to conclude that this case must be continued until the beginning of the next fiscal year.
First, we cannot make a determination as to the available funds for this ease given that, at the time of oral argument, the auditor's report was not yet complete. Moreover, we understand that, at this time, negotiations are being conducted with the Governor's office to determine whether additional funds for CCR will be forthcoming. Until a final report is submitted regarding the financial status of CCR, neither this Court nor the trial court can properly evaluate whether CCR can be compelled to participate in the hearing in this cause. CCR expressly agreed at oral argument, however, that it will be able to proceed with the hearing in this cause by July 15,1997, because funds from the new fiscal year will be available.
Second, we cannot compel the City of Jacksonville and Duval County to pay the costs of this proceeding because, as CCR conceded at oral argument, the legislature has provided that CCR is to bear this responsibility. In general, counties are responsible for all costs necessary to operate the circuit and county courts not paid by the State. § 43.28, Fla. Stat. (1995). Under section 43.28, "counties shall provide appropriate courtrooms, facilities, equipment, and, unless provided by the state, personnel necessary to operate the circuit and county courts." This includes attorney's fees and costs of required counsel. See In re D.B. and D.S., 385 So.2d 83 (Fla.1980); Brevard County Bd. of County Comm'rs v. Moxley, 526 So.2d 1023 (Fla. 5th DCA 1988)(finding non-capital postconviction fees and costs for conflict counsel must be borne by county under section 43.28). In this type of case, however, chapter 27 expressly directs that CCR is to provide for the collateral representation of any person convicted and sentenced to death in this state and is to be responsible for the payment of all necessary costs and expenses. § 27.7001, 27.705(3), Fla. Stat. (1995). Given the specific directives contained in chapter 27, CCR is responsible for the costs of this proceeding and we cannot compel the City of Jacksonville or Duval County to pay the costs associated with this case.
Accordingly, we continue the stay granted in this cause until July 15, 1997, and we direct that the trial judge in this cause hold the evidentiary hearing within thirty days of that date. Because we continue the stay in this cause, we find it unnecessary to grant the requested writs.
It is so ordered.
KOGAN, C.J., and OVERTON, SHAW, GRIMES and ANSTEAD, JJ., concur.
HARDING, J., concurs with an opinion, in which SHAW, J., concurs.
WELLS, J., concurs with an opinion.