Opinion ID: 2632512
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Failure to Appoint Counsel and Conduct an Evidentiary Hearing

Text: Hoge also contends the district court erred in denying his pro se motion for correction of an illegal sentence without first appointing counsel and conducting an evidentiary hearing. He argues that the plain language of K.S.A. 22-3504(1) bars summary disposition of a motion to correct an illegal sentence. Hoge's contention is not persuasive. Hoge's arguments, in part, require interpretation of K.S.A. 22-3504. The interpretation of a statute is a question of law over which this court has unlimited review. State v. Bryan, 281 Kan. 157, 159, 130 P.3d 85 (2006). K.S.A. 22-3504(1) provides: The court may correct an illegal sentence at any time. The defendant shall receive full credit for time spent in custody under the sentence prior to correction. The defendant shall have a right to a hearing, after reasonable notice to be fixed by the court, to be personally present and to have the assistance of counsel in any proceeding for the correction of an illegal sentence. While Hoge recognizes that Kansas appellate courts have treated motions to correct illegal sentences like K.S.A. 60-1507 motions  where district courts may summarily deny the petitioner's motion if the motion, files, and records of the case conclusively show the petitioner is not entitled to relief  Hoge contends that the language in K.S.A. 22-3504(1) requires the district court to appoint counsel and hold an evidentiary hearing in instances involving a motion to correct an illegal sentence. This court, however, has rejected such a notion. In State v. Duke, 263 Kan. 193, 946 P.2d 1375 (1997), this court stated: Our decisions have been quite uniform in upholding the propriety of such preliminary examinations on all post-trial motions filed later than 10 days after trial. There is no indication that a motion to correct an illegal sentence was intended by the legislature to be treated differently from a K.S.A. 60-1507 attack upon a sentence. Logic does not require a different treatment. What purpose is served if, unlike another post-trial motion, the filing of a bare-bones conclusory motion to correct an allegedly illegal sentence triggers a full-blown hearing with defense counsel and the presence of the defendant? We believe the key words in K.S.A. 22-3504(1) relative to the issue before us are `any proceeding.' The district court should make the preliminary examination as to whether substantial questions of law or fact are raised. If the findings are in the negative, the court should summarily deny the motion. This is not a `proceeding' within the language of the statute. If the findings are in the affirmative, then the matters can only be resolved in a `proceeding' as set forth in the statute. 263 Kan. at 195-96, 946 P.2d 1375. Hoge urges us to abandon this holding, arguing it is contrary to the plain language of the statute. His arguments are not persuasive. The right to be present, have counsel appointed, and have a hearing relates only to any proceeding for the correction of an illegal sentence. (Emphasis added.) This unambiguous language requires the defendant's presence, with the assistance of counsel, only at the proceeding where an illegal sentence is corrected. Hoge attempts to rewrite the statute to read any proceeding relating to a motion to correct an illegal sentence. (Emphasis added.) Even if we were to deem the language ambiguous and examine legislative intent, there is no indication the legislature intended the presence of a defendant when a court conclusively determines there is no basis for correction of an illegal sentence. Therefore, we reaffirm that K.S.A. 22-3504 does not automatically require a full hearing upon the filing of a motion to correct an illegal sentence. Love, 280 Kan. at 557, 124 P.3d 32 (motions attacking sentences filed under K.S.A. 22-3504 treated no differently than those filed under K.S.A. 60-1507); State v. Denney, 278 Kan. 643, 647, 101 P.3d 1257 (2004) (full hearing on motion to correct illegal sentence not automatic). The district court is required to make a preliminary examination of the motion. State v. Mebane, 278 Kan. 131, 138, 91 P.3d 1175 (2004). Based upon that preliminary examination, the court can handle the motion in one of three ways. First, the motion can be denied without a hearing or appointment of counsel if the district court determines the motion, files, and records of the case conclusively show the defendant is not entitled to relief. Second, if the district court determines that a substantial issue of fact or law is raised in the motion, a hearing or hearings must be conducted. The defendant is entitled to the assistance of counsel. Third, if the district court is unable to determine from the motion, files, and record whether or not an issue raised may allow relief, the court must conduct further proceedings, including evidentiary hearings. The defendant is entitled to the assistance of counsel. Love, 280 Kan. at 557, 124 P.3d 32; Lujan v. State, 270 Kan. 163, Syl. ¶ 3, 14 P.3d 424 (2000). Here, it must be determined whether Hoge's motion, files, and records of the case conclusively show that he is entitled to no relief. Hoge argues that his motion raised substantial questions of law and triable issues of fact, but he fails to assert the merits of his arguments in his appellate brief. Regardless, Hoge's motion clearly has no merit. K.S.A. 22-3504 only applies if a sentence is illegal. The question of whether a sentence is illegal is a question of law over which this court has unlimited review. State v. Denney, 278 Kan. at 646, 101 P.3d 1257. This court has defined an illegal sentence as a sentence imposed by a court without jurisdiction, a sentence which does not conform to the statutory provision, either in character or the term of the punishment authorized, or a sentence which is ambiguous with regard to the time and manner in which it is to be served. State v. Nash, 281 Kan. 600, 601, 133 P.3d 836 (2006); State v. Duke, 263 Kan. at 194, 946 P.2d 1375; Carmichael v. State, 255 Kan. 10, 16, 872 P.2d 240 (1994). In Nash, just as in this case, the defendant filed a motion to correct illegal sentence on the ground that the complaint was fatally defective. Nash, who was convicted and sentenced for felony murder and aggravated robbery, argued he was incorrectly charged with taking property only from the presence of another rather than from the person or presence of another. In Nash, this court held that a motion to correct an illegal sentence was not the appropriate remedy for Nash's claim, stating: The defendant herein is seeking reversal of his conviction of aggravated robbery as opposed to correction of the sentence imposed on the conviction. In essence, the defendant is seeking to use the correction of an illegal sentence statute as the vehicle for a collateral attack on a conviction. Such relief is not available under K.S.A. 22-3504. The district court should have denied relief on the basis that the only relief sought was not available under the statute. However, where the trial court reaches the right result, it will not be reversed even though its reasoning was not correct. State v. Graham, 277 Kan. 121, 133, 83 P.3d 143 (2004). 281 Kan. at 602, 133 P.3d 836. The same conclusion applies in this case. Relief is not available to Hoge under K.S.A. 22-3504 for the type of defects he alleges in the complaint. The district court correctly denied relief, although for the wrong reason. Accordingly, the district court did not err in summarily dismissing Hoge's motion to correct an illegal sentence because the motion, files, and records of the case conclusively show that Hoge was entitled to no relief. Affirmed. ALLEGRUCCI, J., not participating. LOCKETT, J., Retired, assigned. [1]