Case Name: Vernon NELSON, Appellant, v. STATE of Florida, Appellee
Court: Florida District Court of Appeal
Jurisdiction: Florida
Decision Date: 2003-08-06
Citations: 855 So. 2d 132
Docket Number: No. 4D03-1462
Parties: Vernon NELSON, Appellant, v. STATE of Florida, Appellee.
Judges: FARMER, C.J., WARNER and SHAHOOD, JJ., concur.
Reporter: Southern Reporter, Second Series
Volume: 855
Pages: 132–134

Head Matter:
Vernon NELSON, Appellant, v. STATE of Florida, Appellee.
No. 4D03-1462.
District Court of Appeal of Florida, Fourth District.
Aug. 6, 2003.
Opinion on Rehearing Denied Oct. 1, 2003.
Vernon Nelson, Chattahoochee, pro se.
Charles J. Crist, Jr., Attorney General, Tallahassee, and Karen Finkle, Assistant Attorney General, West Palm Beach, for appellee.

Opinion:
PER CURIAM.
Vernon Nelson appeals the denial of his motion filed pursuant to Florida Rule of Criminal Procedure 3.800(a). Nelson challenged his consecutive prison terms as a habitual offender in light of Hale v. State, 630 So.2d 521 (Fla.1993). The trial court accepted the state's position that appellant's claim was successive. See State v. McBride, 848 So.2d 287 (Fla.2003).
We reverse the circuit court's order as Nelson's claim was never considered on the merits. The case is remanded for the trial court to consider whether Nelson's claim for relief is apparent from the face of the record. Burgess v. State, 831 So.2d 137 (Fla.2002); Valdes v. State, 765 So.2d 774 (Fla. 1st DCA 2000).
FARMER, C.J., WARNER and SHAHOOD, JJ., concur.