Opinion ID: 306408
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: summary denial of the motion

Text: 17 Petitioner's second complaint is that the trial court that convicted him acted improperly in summarily denying his motion. Although our discussion above disposes of this appeal, we believe that this point deserves brief analysis. Under the view of the case set out above, we agree that due process of law is abrogated by the state's summary denial of a motion filed in the reasonable expectation that an opportunity for further elaboration would be allowed. Petitioner has been convicted without ever having had the opportunity to present the merits of his demand for severance. We do not hold that the state cannot require specific allegations in such a motion; nor do we hold that a summary denial of such a motion is always improper. We merely reiterate that the state cannot raise the requirements of such a motion retrospectively. 18 The state argues with some force that the granting or denial of a motion for severance rests within the sound discretion of the trial court. We do not disagree, but we do not see this case as one in which the trial judge considered the merits of the motion and then exercised his discretion to deny it. The Supreme Court of Florida pinioned its decision on respect for the trial court's discretion and on the shortcomings it saw on the face of the motion itself. But the District Court of Appeal of Florida agreed that discretion is one thing and the unexplained rejection of claims of constitutional dimension is another: 19 The state argues that the granting vel non of a motion for severance is discretionary with the trial judge and that the burden of showing an abuse of such discretion is upon [the movant]. Ordinarily this is a sound contention. But the real issue here is the right to compulsory process; and the question of severance is involved only incidentally to the extent that severance may be the only expedient to protect such right. In such a case the matter of discretion is extremely limited if not entirely eliminated. 20 227 So.2d at 495. 21 The complexity of this case is multiplied by the fact that the trial judge did not state his reasons for denying the motion. After studying the Florida Supreme Court's opinion, we can only conclude that the denial was caused, at least in part, by petitioner's failure to satisfy Rule 1.190. It is this application of law that we find constitutionally infirm. We thus hold that on the facts of this case the old statute should have been applied and that therefore petitioner was improperly prevented from presenting the merits of his motion. Since petitioner's motion did not satisfy the new requirements, on these facts he should have been granted a hearing or allowed to file supporting evidence before the trial judge acted on the motion. 22 We intimate no view regarding the constitutionality of Rule 1.190, which the Florida Supreme Court has interpreted as allowing a summary denial of motions for severance if its four requirements are not met. 23 Affirmed.