Opinion ID: 1133642
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Expedited Appeal of Discovery Orders Under Section 3(b)(1)

Text: With respect to our ultimate jurisdiction in postconviction cases where the death sentence has been imposed, we reasserted our jurisdiction in State v. Matute-Chirinos, 713 So.2d 1006 (Fla.1998), by elaborating that in addition to our appellate jurisdiction over sentences of death, we have exclusive jurisdiction to review all types of collateral proceedings in death penalty cases. This includes cases in which this Court has vacated a death sentence and remanded for further penalty proceedings. However, our jurisdiction does not include cases in which the death penalty is sought but not yet imposed, State v. Preston, 376 So.2d 3 (Fla.1979), or cases in which we have vacated both the conviction and sentence of death and remanded for a new trial. Id. at 1008 (quoting Fourth Dist. Court of Appeal, 697 So.2d at 71). Furthermore, acceptance of jurisdiction in the instant scenario under 3(b)(1) is consistent with this Court's acceptance in previous similar cases. See Fourth Dist. Court of Appeal, 697 So.2d at 71; Lewis, 656 So.2d at 1249; LeCroy, 641 So.2d at 853; Kokal, 562 So.2d at 325. Drawing upon the district courts' use of the writ of certiorari to provide an instructive model of how this Court may exercise its jurisdiction in such cases, we hold that to obtain relief an appellant must establish that the order compelling discovery does not conform to the essential requirements of law and may cause irreparable injury for which appellate review will be inadequate. In order to expeditiously decide these appeals, as is done with petitions for writs of certiorari, strict filing requirements that mirror the requirements in Florida Rule of Appellate Procedure 9.100 are mandated. The initial petition shall be filed within thirty days of the disputed discovery order, the petitioner must attach necessary portions of the record in an appendix, and the respondent may respond pursuant to an order to show cause. See id. To that end, we hereby refer to the Criminal Procedure Rules Committee and Appellate Court Rules Committee the formulation of narrowly tailored rules pursuant to which defendants may seek appeals as discussed above. We emphasize that our review of interlocutory orders is limited to postconviction proceedings following imposition of the death penalty and, as in the instant case, a stay of trial court proceedings will not be automatic upon the filing of an interlocutory appeal, but rather the defendant must request that a stay be granted. The Court also notes that the right to file an interlocutory appeal shall not work to extend the time limitations contained in Florida Rules of Criminal Procedure 3.851 and 3.852.