Opinion ID: 2580920
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 7

Heading: Denied Acceptance of Guilty Plea

Text: [¶ 37] Finally, appellant argues that the district court erred in failing to accept appellant's guilty plea at the pretrial conference when a clear factual basis existed to support this plea despite appellant's protestations of innocence. Appellee asserts that a clear factual basis in support of a guilty plea was never presented to the district court and that, ultimately, appellant withdrew her initially contemplated desire to pled guilty. Therefore, appellee contends that it was impossible for the district court to have committed any error. [¶ 38] Upon our review of the record, we conclude that appellant's voluntary withdrawal of her anticipated guilty plea renders this issue moot. The transcript of the pretrial conference indicates that initially the district court was apprised of the desire of appellant to plead guilty under specified plea agreement terms reached between the parties. Accordingly, the district court requested that the prosecutor explain, in detail, the terms of the plea agreement to the court and advised appellant to listen carefully so that she could confirm that this was the agreement reached. After recitation of the plea agreement terms by the prosecutor, appellant agreed that the plea agreement was as stated, and the district court proceeded to ensure that appellant's guilty plea was knowing and voluntary. Eventually, after explaining to appellant the constitutional rights that she would be waiving were she to enter a guilty plea, the district court asked that appellant provide a factual basis to support this plea. [¶ 39] Appellant indicated that she had not forged the checks involved but that she had been given these checks by the victim. At this stage of the proceedings, the district court expressed its difficulty in accepting the guilty plea offered by appellant as there was no factual basis for it and since appellant denied any wrongdoing. Critically, however, the district court did not at any time ever advise appellant that it would not accept appellant's guilty plea. [6] [¶ 40] Appellant's counsel abruptly then requested an opportunity to speak with appellant which was allowed. Immediately thereafter, appellant voluntarily withdrew her anticipated guilty plea. Hence, we hold that when appellant voluntarily withdrew her anticipated guilty plea, she removed any justiciable controversy concerning this issue. It has long been recognized that a justiciable controversy must exist before this court will address those issues asserted. Southwestern Pub. Serv. Co. v. Thunder Basin Coal Co., 978 P.2d 1138, 1142 (Wyo.1999) (citing Reiman Corp. v. City of Cheyenne, 838 P.2d 1182, 1185-86 (Wyo.1992) and West Texas Utilities Co. v. Exxon Coal USA, Inc., 807 P.2d 932, 938 (Wyo.1991)). See also Wyoming Bd. of Outfitters & Professional Guides v. Clark, 2002 WY 24, ¶ 9, 39 P.3d 1106, ¶ 9 (Wyo.2002), and International Ass'n of Fire Fighters, Local 279 v. Civil Serv. Comm'n of Fire Dep't of City of Cheyenne, 702 P.2d 1294, 1297 (Wyo.1985). [¶ 41] Moreover, we recognize that any contrary result would allow appellant an unfair advantage. It is disingenuous and unjust to allow appellant to assert an anticipated guilty plea, voluntarily withdraw it from consideration and proceed to trial and, thereafter, when an unacceptable result and sentence is rendered in appellant's mind, assert that she was not allowed to plead guilty prior to trial.