Court Opinion

ID: 9365993
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-01-25 17:05:11.378359+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:15:48.658154
License: Public Domain

01/24/2023

            IN THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF MONTANA                                Case Number: DA 22-0755

                                        DA 22-0755
                                                                      FILED
 STATE OF MONTANA,
                                                                       JAN 2 Li 2023
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                                                                     Bovven            Cour'
              Plaintiff and Appellee,                                   rk of Supreme
                                                                      ..iC•
                                                                        State of Montana
       v.
                                                                    ORDER
 JAY DONALD WITKOWSKI,

              Defendant and Appellant.

       Jay Donald Witkowski moves for the appointment of counsel in this appeal,
explaining that he has "been incarcerated since December 31, 2016, and can not afford to
hire [a] legal attorney." Witkowski states he is appealing the denial of his "Motion to
Vacate judgment/conviction and sentence," and includes a copy of the December 14, 2022
Valley County District Court's Order on Motions to Withdraw Guilty plea and Dismiss
Charges and to Vacate Judgment/Conviction and Sentencing. In its Order, the District
Court pointed out that it had no jurisdiction because of his pending appeal with this Court.
       It is necessary to clarify the procedural history of Witkowski's cases. Witkowski
has had four appeals with this Court, including two postconviction appeals that are now
pending. In October 2018, Witkowski, on his own behalf, sought an untimely appeal of
his deliberate homicide conviction and sentence from the Valley County District Court,
imposed in 2017. We granted his petition for out-of-time appeal and appointed counsel.
State v. Witkowski, No. DA 18-0621, Order (Mont. Nov. 14, 2018). In that appeal, this
Court affirmed and remanded to strike or omit certain sentence conditions. State v.
Wilkowski, No. DA 18-0621, 2021 MT 297N, In 2, 16, 2021 Mont. LEXIS 937.
       In October 2020, Witkowski attempted to appeal his February 2018 conviction and
sentence for aggravated kidnapping. We denied his petition for an out-of-time appeal,
stating "Witkowski provides no reason for his delay now when, in 2018, he was aware of
how the process for seeking untimely appeals works in this Court." State v. Witkowski,
No. DA 20-0528, Order, at 2 (Mont. Nov. 10, 2020). Witkowski currently has appeals
pending from the District Court's dismissal of his petition for postconviction relief for both
of his convictions. This Court has explained several times that Witkowski is not entitled
to appointment of counsel in a postconviction matter when he has represented himself.
Under Montana law, there is no right to the appointment of counsel in a postconviction
proceeding for relief. See § 46-8-104, MCA. Witkowski represented himself in his
postconviction proceedings before the District Court.
       Upon review of this appeal, it is improperly filed. More than two years ago, this
Court denied his appeal of the final judgment concerning his aggravated kidnapping
conviction and sentence. That decision was a final judgment and with prejudice. M. R.
App. P. 19(2). Witkowski cannot properly return to this Court with an appeal of the same
criminal case by filing an untimely motion in the District Court and then attempting to
appeal the late decision to this Court. See § 46-16-105(2), MCA (2017) (a court may permit
the plea of guilty to be withdrawn, "within 1 year after judgment becomes final[.]").
Therefore,
       IT IS ORDERED that Witkowski's appeal is DISMISSED sua sponte and his
Motion for Appointrnent of Counsel is DENIED, as moot.
       The Clerk of the Supreme Court is directed to provide a copy of this Order to counsel
of record and to Jay Donald Witkowski personally.
       The Clerk is also directed to CLOSE this matter as of this Order's date.
       DATED this           day ofJanuary, 2023.

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    Justices

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