Opinion ID: 1712198
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: fair and just reason to withdraw pleas

Text: Schneider also contends that the district court's failure to inform him of the registration requirement under the Act established a fair and just reason for withdrawing his pleas. He argues that the court erred in denying his motion because it imposed the wrong standard in its disposition of the motionwhether his plea was constitutionally valid-instead of whether he presented a fair and just reason. The State does not dispute that Schneider was not aware of the registration requirement but contends that the court did not err in denying Schneider's motion to withdraw his plea after finding that the plea was constitutionally valid. After the entry of a plea of guilty or no contest, but before sentencing, a court, in its discretion, may allow a defendant to withdraw his or her plea for any fair or just reason, provided that the prosecution has not been or would not be substantially prejudiced by its reliance on the plea entered. State v. Carlson, 260 Neb. 815, 619 N.W.2d 832 (2000); State v. Wetherell, 259 Neb. 341, 609 N.W.2d 672 (2000). The burden is upon the defendant to establish by clear and convincing evidence the grounds for withdrawal of a plea. State v. Carlson, supra . In Carlson, we specifically rejected the more liberal disposition standard suggested by the American Bar Association for motions to withdraw a plea before sentencing and stated that a trial court may in its discretion permit the withdrawal of a plea before sentencing. See id. (noting that American Bar Association suggests that trial court should allow defendant to withdraw plea for any fair and just reason before sentencing). See, also, State v. Minshall, 227 Neb. 210, 416 N.W.2d 585 (1987). In Carlson, supra, the defendant assigned that the district court erred in failing to find that he had established a fair and just reason to withdraw the plea because the court did not ask him if his plea had been induced by any promises. This court held that the colloquy between the court and the defendant was in compliance with State v. Irish, 223 Neb. 814, 394 N.W.2d 879 (1986), and, therefore, was sufficient to support the district court's determination that the plea was entered freely, intelligently, voluntarily, and understandingly. To the extent that [the defendant] claims that the district court failed to make the proper inquiry prior to the time the plea was entered and accepted, the claim is without merit. Accordingly, the district court did not abuse its discretion in denying [the defendant]'s motion to withdraw the plea on the basis of an inadequate allocution.... Carlson, 260 Neb. at 824, 619 N.W.2d at 838. In this case, we have determined that the district court was not required to inform Schneider of the sex offender registration requirement before accepting his pleas of no contest. In accordance with Carlson, the district court did not abuse its discretion by denying Schneider's motion to withdraw his pleas.