Case Name: Keith J. McKNIGHT, Petitioner, v. STATE of Florida, Respondent
Court: Florida District Court of Appeal
Jurisdiction: Florida
Decision Date: 2005-04-01
Citations: 896 So. 2d 973
Docket Number: No. 5D05-386
Parties: Keith J. McKNIGHT, Petitioner, v. STATE of Florida, Respondent.
Judges: SHARP, W., THOMPSON and PLEUS, JJ., concur.
Reporter: Southern Reporter, Second Series
Volume: 896
Pages: 973–974

Head Matter:
Keith J. McKNIGHT, Petitioner, v. STATE of Florida, Respondent.
No. 5D05-386.
District Court of Appeal of Florida, Fifth District.
April 1, 2005.
Keith J. McKnight, Orlando, pro se.
Charles J. Crist, Jr., Attorney General, Tallahassee, and Kellie A. Nielan, Assistant Attorney General, Daytona Beach, for Respondent.

Opinion:
PER CURIAM.
Petitioner, Keith J. McKnight, seeks a writ of habeas corpus for a belated appeal. He alleges that he advised his counsel to file a notice of appeal and that counsel failed to do so. We deny the petition without prejudice because McKnight's petition is legally insufficient. Although the petition is signed before a notary, there is no statement that it is made by the petitioner under oath or penalty of perjury. See Rule 9.141(c)(3)F, Fla. R.App. P. (requiring allegations of the motion to be sworn). Florida Rule of Appellate Proce dure, which requires that the allegations' of the motion be sworn. Therefore, the petition is denied without prejudice for the petitioner to refile a properly sworn petition. See Ezell v. State, 778 So.2d 1071 (Fla. 5th DCA 2001).
PETITION DENIED WITHOUT PREJUDICE.
SHARP, W., THOMPSON and PLEUS, JJ., concur.