Court Opinion

ID: 9964851
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2024-04-30 23:05:55.996612+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T08:25:44.422433
License: Public Domain

I
                                                                                          04/30/2024

            IN THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF MONTANA                              Case Number: DA 24-0247

                                        DA 24-0247

 STAIE OF MONTANA,

              Plaintiff and Appellee,

       v.                                                            ORDER

 HARRY RICHARDS,                                                                  FILED
                                                                                  APR 3 0 2024
              Defendant and Appellant.                                          Bowen Greenwood
                                                                              Clerk of Supreme Court
                                                                                 ..
                                                                                 Scate of itiaontana

       Harry Richards has filed a verified Petition for an Out-of-Time Appeal, indicating
that he improperly filed a Notice of Appeal with the Lincoln County District Court.
Richards explains that his initial attempt at filing was timely but that he only served the
District Court, and that his copy to this Court did not include or verify service to the
Attorney General, pursuant to M. R. App. P. 10(2). Richards includes a copy of the plea
agreement and not the final judgment.'
       We secured a copy of the judgment. On January 10, 2024, the Lincoln County
District Court issued its Order for Deferred Imposition of Sentence, imposing a three-year
deferred sentence for felony criminal endangerment, after accepting Richards's nolo
contendere plea.
       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"

 We note that the plea agreement's caption has Richards's full name, while the final judgment
does not have his middle name. We amend the caption to comport with M. R. App. P. 2(4).
       Richards has a recent conviction and sentence. This Court concludes that Richards
is entitled to an appeal. It appears that he may be entitled to representation of counsel in
this appeal. Section 46-8-104, MCA. Therefore,
       IT IS ORDERED that Richards's Petition for an Out-of-Time Appeal is
GRANTED.
       IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that the Appellate Defender Division is APPOINTED
to represent Harry William Richards. The Appellate Defender Division shall have thirty
days from the date of this Order within which either to file a Notice of Appeal or a Motion
to Rescind this Order Appointing Counsel. When Richards qualifies for appointed counsel,
the Appellate Defender Division shall immediately order the appropriate transcripts, if they
have not been already ordered.
       The Clerk of the Supreme Court is directed to provide a copy of this Order to the
Appellate Defender Division, to counsel of record, and to Harry Richards personally.
       DATED this          day of April, 2024.

                                                               Chief Justice

                                                                 Justices

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