Opinion ID: 1643603
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 9

Heading: felony dui

Text: In light of this requirement, we have held that every element of felony DUI must be proven to the satisfaction of the jury beyond a reasonable doubt. Harbaugh, 754 So.2d at 694. In order to establish the crime of felony DUI, there must be a conviction of misdemeanor DUI on the current charge and proof of an additional element of the existence of three or more prior misdemeanor DUI convictions. Id. (citing § 316.192(2)(b), Fla. Stat.; State v. Woodruff, 676 So.2d 975, 977-78 (Fla.1996)). Because the requirement of three prior misdemeanor DUI offenses is considered an element of felony DUI, a jury must decide that issue, unless a jury's determination is waived by the defendant. Id. (citing Gaudin, 515 U.S. at 523-24, 115 S.Ct. 2310 (Rehnquist, C.J., concurring)). In the present case, Johnson was charged with felony DUI. Johnson v. State, 944 So.2d 474, 476 (Fla. 4th DCA 2006). The trial court conducted a jury trial on the present incident of DUI. Id. After the jury returned a guilty verdict, the jury was excused, and the trial court proceeded without a jury to determine whether Johnson had been convicted of DUI on three or more prior occasions. Id. The trial court determined that Johnson had three previous DUI convictions and adjudicated him guilty of felony DUI. Id. In sum, the jury did not decide the issue of Johnson's prior convictions. The absence of a jury determination of this element of felony DUI would have been permissible if Johnson had waived his right to a jury determination of that element. Both the United States Supreme Court and this Court have recognized that a defendant may waive constitutional rights, including the right to trial by jury. See Patton v. United States, 281 U.S. 276, 298, 50 S.Ct. 253, 74 L.Ed. 854 (1930), abrogated on other grounds by Williams v. Florida, 399 U.S. 78, 90 S.Ct. 1893, 26 L.Ed.2d 446 (1970); Zellers v. State, 138 Fla. 158, 189 So. 236, 237 (1939). Waivers of constitutional rights must be voluntary, knowing, and intelligent. Tucker v. State, 559 So.2d 218, 219 (Fla.1990) (citing Brady v. United States, 397 U.S. 742, 90 S.Ct. 1463, 25 L.Ed.2d 747 (1970)). A defendant may waive his or her right to a jury trial through a written waiver, signed by the defendant, pursuant to Florida Rule of Criminal Procedure 3.260. See State v. Upton, 658 So.2d 86, 87 (Fla.1995). A defendant may also orally waive this right, if the court conducts a colloquy with the defendant to focus the defendant's attention on the value of a jury trial and to explain the consequences of a waiver. See Tucker, 559 So.2d at 220. However, as the majority properly concludes, Johnson did not validly waive his right to a jury trial. While Johnson's counsel may have stipulated to a bench trial on the prior convictions element of felony DUI, the trial judge failed to conduct the requisite colloquy with Johnson to ascertain his agreement with this stipulation and to ensure that any waiver by Johnson was knowing, intelligent, and voluntary. In the absence of such a colloquy, Johnson could not have provided a valid oral waiver of his right to a jury trial. Therefore, the trial judge erred in conducting a bench trial on the prior convictions element of felony DUI.