Opinion ID: 3159549
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Violation of Tenn. R. Crim. P. 11(c)

Text: The final issue we address is Mr. Brown‘s argument that the sentences he received on the Class C felony offenses are illegal because the trial court violated Tenn. R. Crim. P. 11(c) by imposing six-year sentences rather than the agreed upon three-year sentences. Where a trial court fails, by reason of clerical mistake, oversight, or omission, to record a defendant‘s sentence accurately on a judgment, the trial court maintains the power to correct the clerical error under Rule 36. Moore, 814 S.W.2d at 383. To determine whether a clerical error has been made, a court ordinarily must compare the judgment with the transcript of the trial court‘s oral statements. Id. When there is a conflict between the judgment and the transcript of the trial court‘s statements, the transcript controls. Id. (citing State v. Zyla, 628 S.W.2d 39, 42 (Tenn. Crim. App. 1981); Farmer v. State, 574 S.W.2d 49, 50 (Tenn. Crim. App. 1978)); see also State v. Rowden, No. M2012-01683-CCA-R3-CD, 2013 WL 4774131, at  (Tenn. Crim. App. Sept. 5, 2013). - 14 - In this case, the transcript Mr. Brown attached to his Rule 36.1 motion clearly establishes that the trial court accepted the plea agreement, including the recommended three-year concurrent sentences for the Class C felony offenses. The State concedes that the trial court‘s recording of the sentence length as six years rather than three years on the judgments is a clerical error, which may be corrected pursuant to Rule 36. Accordingly, although the defendant has failed to state a colorable claim for relief under Rule 36.1, Mr. Brown is entitled to have the trial court correct the clerical error in the judgments in the manner prescribed by Rule 36. Permitting correction of the clerical error pursuant to Rule 36 despite the expiration of Mr. Brown‘s sentence does not contravene our principal holding that Rule 36.1 does not authorize courts to grant relief from expired illegal sentences. Correcting clerical errors so that the record accurately reflects the sentence imposed does not amount to granting relief from expired illegal sentences. Accordingly, this matter is remanded to the trial court for correction of the clerical error.