Opinion ID: 2145405
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Invalid Plea Petition Form

Text: Perkins argues that a manifest injustice has occurred because the Third Judicial District's rule requiring the use of a specific plea petition form is invalid because it conflicts with Rule 15, Minnesota Rules of Criminal Procedure, and the plea petition forms contained therein. More specifically, he argues that he should have been permitted to sign a plea petition in the form provided for in Appendix B of rule 15.09. We conclude that, under the rules in effect when Perkins entered his plea, this argument lacks merit. District court judges are free to adopt local rules of practice that are not in conflict with state rules promulgated by the Minnesota Supreme Court. State v. Hejl, 315 N.W.2d 592, 593 (Minn.1982) (citing Minn.Stat. § 480.055 (1996)). The authority to make local rules is both statutorily derived and recognized in case law as a practical necessity in performing the judicial function. County of Ramsey v. Stevens, 283 N.W.2d 918, 925 (Minn.1979). Nonetheless, in the interests of uniformity, appellate courts will either refuse to enforce or invalidate a local rule if it conflicts with a state rule. See, e.g., Bunkowske v. Briard, 461 N.W.2d 392, 395 (Minn.App.1990) (holding that district court's narrow application of a local rule conflicted with a state civil procedure rule); Pearce v. Lindstrom, 443 N.W.2d 857, 859 (Minn.App. 1989) (holding that a local rule conflicted with a state civil procedure rule in violation of Minn.Stat. § 480.055). The version of rule 15.09 in effect at the time of Perkins' guilty plea provided: Upon a guilty plea to an offense punishable by incarceration, either a verbatim record of the proceedings shall be made, or in the case of misdemeanors, a petition to enter a plea of guilty, as provided in the Appendix B to Rule 15, shall be filed with the court. Minn.R.Crim.P. 15.09 (1993) (emphasis added). Perkins argues that he should have been permitted to sign an Appendix B plea petition form, which provides for the withdrawal of a guilty plea if the court does not accept the agreement, rather than the plea petition form required by the Third Judicial District. Perkins misreads rule 15.09. Both the language of rule 15.09 and the plea petition form contained in Appendix B, entitled Misdemeanor Petition to Enter Plea of Guilty, only apply to misdemeanor offenses. Perkins pleaded guilty to a felony. It appears that Perkins failed to recognize the distinction between Appendix A and Appendix B forms. The plea petition form required by the Third Judicial District does differ from the plea petition form contained in Appendix A to rule 15, which ostensibly applies to felony offenses. The Appendix A form, simply entitled, Petition to Enter Plea of Guilty, states that if the court does not approve this agreement    I have the absolute right to withdraw my plea of guilty and have a trial. Id. at App. A, ¶ 20. The Third Judicial District's form adds: [A]nything in the plea agreement as to sentence (or disposition) by the judge is not a condition of my entering my plea of guilty herein; it would be merely a recommendation not binding upon the judge who sentences me    and thus I cannot withdraw my plea of guilty if the sentencing judge disregards the prosecuting attorney's recommendation on sentence. (Underscoring of bold omitted, third emphasis added.) Thus, the Third Judicial District's form effectively precludes the state and the defendant from agreeing on a particular sentence, conditioned upon the defendant's ability to withdraw a guilty plea upon the sentencing judge's failure to accept the agreed-upon sentence. Perkins' attorney explained that he used the form containing the sentencing recommendation language because he believed that the Third Judicial District judges felt quite strongly about that language, and probably would not have accepted a petition with the language stricken. Despite the differences between the Appendix A form and the Third Judicial District's form, an examination of the history of rule 15 reveals no conflict between the rule 15 in effect when Perkins entered his plea and the local rule. Enacted in 1975, rule 15 sets forth procedures for accepting guilty pleas, regulating plea discussions and plea agreements, withdrawing guilty pleas, pleading to lesser or different offenses, and making a record of guilty plea proceedings. Minn R.Crim.P. 15. Rule 15.01 lists information that the court, with the assistance of counsel, should elicit from a defendant before accepting a guilty plea. Minn.R.Crim.P. 15.01. A note following rule 15.01 states: (NOTE: It is desirable that the defendant also be asked to acknowledge signing the Petition to Plead Guilty, suggested form of which is contained in the [A]ppendix A to these rules   .) Id. (emphasis added). In addition, the comment to rule 15 states: It is suggested by the Advisory Committee that it is desirable to have the defendant sign a Petition to Plead Guilty in the form of the petition appearing in the Appendices to these rules (which contain in even more detailed form the information showing the defendant's understanding of defense rights and the consequences of pleading)   . This petition is presently in use in some counties in Minnesota. Minn.R.Crim.P. 15 comment (emphasis added). The rule 15 in effect when Perkins entered his guilty plea did not mandate use of the Appendix A plea petition form. Further, the note and comment clearly indicate that the Appendix A form is suggested and that it is desirable to have the defendant sign a plea petition in this form. Therefore, we conclude that when Perkins entered his guilty plea, the Third Judicial District's local rule requiring a different form in no way conflicted with rule 15. [6]