Case Name: James Ernest MILLER, Appellant, v. STATE of Florida, Appellee
Court: Florida District Court of Appeal
Jurisdiction: Florida
Decision Date: 1985-04-17
Citations: 468 So. 2d 1018
Docket Number: No. 84-2188
Parties: James Ernest MILLER, Appellant, v. STATE of Florida, Appellee.
Judges: HERSEY, GLICKSTEIN and BARRETT, JJ., concur.
Reporter: Southern Reporter, Second Series
Volume: 468
Pages: 1018–1019

Head Matter:
James Ernest MILLER, Appellant, v. STATE of Florida, Appellee.
No. 84-2188.
District Court of Appeal of Florida, Fourth District.
April 17, 1985.
Rehearing Denied June 5, 1985.
Richard L. Jorandby, Public Defender, and Gary Caldwell, Asst. Public Defender, West Palm Beach, for appellant.
Jim Smith, Atty. Gen., Tallahassee, and Joy B. Shearer, Asst. Atty. Gen., West Palm Beach, for appellee.

Opinion:
PER CURIAM.
We vacate the sentence because the trial court erroneously applied a stiffening of the sentencing guidelines pertaining to sexual offenders, contained in the Florida Rules of Criminal Procedure, that did not become effective until after the appellant committed the instant offense. A rule change that has a disadvantageous effect on an offender does not apply to crimes committed before the effective date of the rule change. See Weaver v. Graham, 450 U.S. 24, 101 S.Ct. 960, 67 L.Ed.2d 17 (1981); State v. Williams, 397 So.2d 663, 665 (Fla.1981); Carter v. State, 452 So.2d 953 (Fla. 5th DCA 1984); Arnold, v. State, 429 So.2d 819 (Fla. 2d DCA 1983).
We remand for resentencing in accordance with the sentencing guidelines in effect at the time the offense was committed. We observe that the same sentence is possible if clear and convincing reasons for departure from the then applicable guidelines are stated in writing.
HERSEY, GLICKSTEIN and BARRETT, JJ., concur.