Case Name: PEOPLE v. SMITH
Court: Michigan Supreme Court
Jurisdiction: Michigan
Decision Date: 1977-11-28
Citations: 402 Mich. 72
Docket Number: Docket No. 60236
Parties: PEOPLE v SMITH
Judges: Kavanagh, C. J., and Williams, Levin, Coleman, Fitzgerald, Ryan, and Blair Moody, Jr., JJ., concurred.
Reporter: Michigan Reports
Volume: 402
Pages: 72–73

Head Matter:
PEOPLE v SMITH
Docket No. 60236.
Decided November 28, 1977.
On application by defendant for leave to appeal the Supreme Court, in lieu of granting leave to appeal, reinstated the defendant’s appeal and remanded to the Court of Appeals for further consideration.
Donald S. Smith was convicted, on his plea of guilty, by Wayne Circuit Court, James N. Canham, J., of malicious destruction of property under $100 and attempted escape from lawful custody. The Court of Appeals, Quinn, P. J., and R. B. Burns, J. (M. F. Cavanagh, J., dissenting), dismissed the defendant’s appeal without opinion on the ground that "a conviction based upon a plea of guilty is not appealable” (Docket No. 77-485). Defendant applies for leave to appeal. Held:
The Constitution guarantees an appeal as a matter of right in every criminal prosecution. The appellate courts have consistently, until recently, interpreted the constitutional language to give an appeal of right from a conviction on a plea of guilty. A review of these decisions, together with the history of the Constitution and the plain meaning of the constitutional language, convinces the Court of the correctness of that interpretation.
The appeal is reinstated and remanded to the Court of Appeals for further consideration.
People v Webb, 75 Mich App 494; 255 NW2d 661 (1977), overruled.
Frank J. Kelley, Attorney General, Robert A. Derengoski, Solicitor General, William L. Cahalan, Prosecuting Attorney, Edward Reilly Wilson, Principal Attorney, Appeals, and Timothy A. Baughman, Assistant Prosecuting Attorney, for the people.
Carl Ziemba for defendant.

Opinion:
Per Curiam.
The majority of the Court of Appeals panel in this case and in People v Webb, 75 Mich App 494; 255 NW2d 661 (1977), believes that there is no appeal as a matter of right from a plea-based conviction. We disagree.
Const 1963, art 1, § 20, states in pertinent part: "In every criminal prosecution, the accused shall have an appeal as a matter of right."
The appellate courts of this state have, until recently, consistently interpreted this language to guarantee an appeal as a matter of right from a plea-based conviction. Our review of those decisions, together with § 20's constitutional history and the plain meaning of its language, convinces us of the correctness of this interpretation.
Pursuant to GCR 1963, 853.2(4), in lieu of leave to appeal, the Court of Appeals order dismissing defendant's appeal for lack of jurisdiction is vacated. Defendant's appeal to the Court of Appeals is reinstated and the case is remanded to the Court of Appeals for consideration of the issue raised. We retain no jurisdiction.
Kavanagh, C. J., and Williams, Levin, Coleman, Fitzgerald, Ryan, and Blair Moody, Jr., JJ., concurred.
See 1 Official Record, Constitutional Convention 1961, pp 469, 562-568.