Case Name: Christopher WELLS, Petitioner, v. STATE of Florida, Respondent
Court: Florida District Court of Appeal
Jurisdiction: Florida
Decision Date: 2005-04-22
Citations: 899 So. 2d 506
Docket Number: No. 5D05-1011
Parties: Christopher WELLS, Petitioner, v. STATE of Florida, Respondent.
Judges: GRIFFIN, THOMPSON and MONACO, JJ., concur.
Reporter: Southern Reporter, Second Series
Volume: 899
Pages: 506–506

Head Matter:
Christopher WELLS, Petitioner, v. STATE of Florida, Respondent.
No. 5D05-1011.
District Court of Appeal of Florida, Fifth District.
April 22, 2005.
Christopher Wells, Raiford, pro se.
No Appearance for Respondent.

Opinion:
PER CURIAM.
Christopher Wells petitions this court for a writ of habeas corpus to file a belated motion under Florida Rule of Criminal Procedure 3.850. He alleges that after he was convicted and sentenced in 1975, he hired an attorney to timely file such a motion, but it was never filed. We deny the petition without prejudice for Wells to petition the trial court, the proper forum, for a writ of habeas corpus. See Steele v. Kehoe, 747 So.2d 931, 934 (Fla.1999). Upon receiving the petition, the trial court shall conduct a hearing to determine whether trial counsel undertook to file a 3.850 motion, but failed to do so in a timely manner. If Wells prevails at the hearing, he may then file a belated 3.850 motion. Steele at 934.
DENIED WITHOUT PREJUDICE.
GRIFFIN, THOMPSON and MONACO, JJ., concur.