Case Name: Michael Shane DIGGS v. STATE of Arkansas
Court: Arkansas Supreme Court
Jurisdiction: Arkansas
Decision Date: 1998-02-05
Citations: 331 Ark. 356
Docket Number: CR 97-1566
Parties: Michael Shane DIGGS v. STATE of Arkansas
Judges: 
Reporter: Arkansas Reports
Volume: 331
Pages: 356–357

Head Matter:
Michael Shane DIGGS v. STATE of Arkansas
CR 97-1566
958 S.W.2d 303
Supreme Court of Arkansas
Opinion delivered February 5, 1998
John F. Gibson, Jr., for appellant.
No response.

Opinion:
Per Curiam.
Appellant Michael Shane Diggs, by his attorney, has filed a motion for rule on the clerk.
On May 29, 1997, the Drew County Circuit Court entered a judgment convicting appellant of burglary and theft of property. On May 30, 1997, appellant filed a motion for new trial. Appellant's notice of appeal from the judgment of conviction was filed on June 25, 1997. Appellant's attorney failed to file a notice of appeal after the motion for new trial was deemed denied on June 30, 1997.
Although the notice of appeal from the judgment of conviction was filed in a timely manner, appellant's attorney, John F. Gibson, Jr., admits that a notice of appeal from the denial of appellant's motion for new trial was not filed in a timely manner due to a mistake on his part.
We find that such error, admittedly made by the attorney for a criminal defendant, is good cause to grant the motion, which we will treat as a motion for belated appeal. See Terry v. State, 272 Ark. 243, 613 S.W.2d 90 (1981); In Re: Belated Appeals in Criminal Cases, 265 Ark. 964 (1979) (per curiam).
The motion for belated appeal is, therefore, granted. A copy of this opinion will be forwarded to the Committee on Professional Conduct.