Court Opinion

ID: 9556103
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-16 00:07:10.849107+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T16:41:26.841412
License: Public Domain

ORIGINAL                                                                               08/15/2023

            IN THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF MONTANA
                                                                                            Case Number: DA 23-0426

                                          DA 23-0426
                                                                                  F" D
 JESUS VILLANUEVA,                                                                 AUG 15 2023
                                                                                         Greerevoodurt
                                                                                 Bowen
                                                                                        Supierne Co
              Petitioner and Appellant,                                        Clerk of
                                                                                  State o f Mor1t3 ,10

       v.                                                               ORDER

 STATE OF MONTANA,

              Respondent and Appellee.

       Jesus Villanueva has filed a verified Petition for an Out-of-Time Appeal, indicating
that he failed to file the Notice of Appeal timely due to his disabilities of dyslexia and
dysgraphia. He provides a copy of the final judgment and has served opposing counsel.
Villanueva also moves for counsel.
       Villanueva seeks to appeal a June 21, 20231 Order denying his petition for
postconviction relief, issued in the Thirteenth Judicial District Court, Yellowstone County.
       M. R. App. P. 4(6) allows this Court to grant an out-of-time appeal "[i]n the
infrequent harsh case and under extraordinary circumstances amounting to a gross
miscarriage of justice[1"
       Villanueva's appeal is timely. He has sixty days from the date of the court's order
to file an appeal. M. R. App. P. 4(5)(a)(i). Villanueva had until August 20, 2023, to file a
timely appeal. We conclude that Villanueva has demonstrated extraordinary circumstances
to warrant granting his Petition.
       Villanueva, however, is not entitled to appointment of counsel in this appeal. There
is no right to the appointment of counsel in a postconviction proceeding for relief.

  The District Court's Order initially indicated that it was signed by the District Court Judge on
June 21, 2022. The District Court has since amended its Order.
Villanueva represented himself in the District Court. Although a court may order the
assignment of counsel under the circumstances outlined in § 46-8-104, MCA, Villanueva
has not demonstrated that extraordinary circumstances exist to justify appointment of
counsel, pursuant to § 46-8-104(3), MCA. Therefore,
      IT IS ORDERED that Villanueva's Petition for an Out-of-Time Appeal is
GRANTED. The Clerk of the Supreme Court is directed to file Villanueva's submitted
Notice of Appeal as of this Order's date.
      IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that Villanueva's Motion for Appointment of Counsel
is DENIED.
      The Clerk is also directed to provide a copy of this Order to counsel of record and
to Jesus Villanueva along with a copy of this Court's Civil Appellate Handbook.
      DATED this I 6 - day of August, 2023.

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