Case Name: Kenneth WILLIAMS, Appellant, v. STATE of Florida, Appellee
Court: Florida District Court of Appeal
Jurisdiction: Florida
Decision Date: 2007-07-11
Citations: 959 So. 2d 830
Docket Number: No. 4D06-1160
Parties: Kenneth WILLIAMS, Appellant, v. STATE of Florida, Appellee.
Judges: HAZOURI, J., concurs.
Reporter: Southern Reporter, Second Series
Volume: 959
Pages: 830–833

Head Matter:
Kenneth WILLIAMS, Appellant, v. STATE of Florida, Appellee.
No. 4D06-1160.
District Court of Appeal of Florida, Fourth District.
July 11, 2007.
Carey Haughwout, Public Defender, and James W. Mclntire, Assistant Public Defender, West Palm Beach, for appellant.
.. Bill McCollum, Attorney General, Tallahassee, and Daniel P. Hyndman, Assistant Attorney General, West Palm Beach, for appellee.

Opinion:
POLEN, J.
Appellant Kenneth B. Williams was sentenced to 33.15 months in Florida State Prison with credit for 229 days time served after pleading no contest to delivery of cocaine and battery on a law enforcement officer. He subsequently filed a motion to withdraw his plea and appoint special public defender for purposes of arguing the motion pursuant to Florida Rule of Criminal Procedure 3.170(Z). The motion asserted ineffective assistance of trial counsel, an irreconcilable conflict of interest with counsel, and other grounds to be argued ore tewus. After a brief hearing where Williams was not present, the trial court summarily denied the motion based on its facial insufficiency, but did so without prejudice to Williams filing a pro se motion to withdraw plea, hire counsel to file an amended motion, or request the trial court appoint a special public defender to file such motion. Given the allegations, this was error. See Rivera v. State, 954 So.2d 695 (Fla. 4th DCA 2007) (citation omitted); see also Mattia v. State, 907 So.2d 683, 683 (Fla. 2d DCA 2005) ("A motion to withdraw plea filed pursuant to rule 3.170 is a critical stage of the proceedings in the trial court, and a defendant is entitled to be present at the hearing on his motion.") (citations omitted); Scippio v. State, 855 So.2d 202, 203 (Fla. 1st DCA 2003) ("A defendant has the right to conflict-free counsel to argue his motion to withdraw plea.").
We therefore reverse Williams' convictions and remand for further proceedings in the trial court. Upon remand, conflict-free counsel shall be appointed to assist Williams in this cause. The trial court in its discretion may either accept an amended motion to withdraw plea, or hold an evidentiary hearing to further address any issues raised in the original motion. In either event, Williams is entitled to be present.
Reversed and Remanded tuith Instructions.
HAZOURI, J., concurs.
WARNER, J., concurs specially with opinion.