Court Opinion

ID: 9458449
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-04 20:52:12.482303+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:35:46.066106
License: Public Domain

COLEMAN, Circuit Judge
(dissenting) :
I think -the disposition of this case is controlled by our prior decisions in Taylor v. United States, 1969, 410 F.2d 392 and Wade v. Carsley, 1970, 433 F.2d 68.
The Taylor case is brief and to the point. I quote it in toto:
“On June 16, 1967, the appellant, a practicing attorney, was fined $500.00 by the District Court upon adjudication of guilty of contempt of court for failure to appear as counsel in a scheduled criminal trial after being retained as counsel. The sentence provided that in lieu of payment of the fine the respondent stand committed for a period of five days.
“The appellant paid the $500.00 fine in question to the Clerk on the date *682the fine was imposed. On July 17, 1967, he filed his notice of appeal to this Court.
“Pointing out that the sentence of the court was fully executed by the payment of the fine, the appellee has moved for a dismissal of the appeal as moot. We find that the appellee’s motion is well taken. We have no power to decide moot questions and we cannot give advisory opinions which cannot in any way affect the rights of litigants. We therefore do not reach the merits of this controversy. The controlling cases are St. Pierre v. United States, 319 U.S. 41, 63 S.Ct. 910, 87 L.Ed. 1199 (1948) ; Murrell v. United States, 5 Cir., 1958, 253 F.2d 267, cert. den. 358 U.S. 841, 79 S.Ct. 65, 3 L.Ed.2d 76; Tessmer v. United States, 5 Cir., 1964, 328 F.2d 306, 307; United States v. Lee, 5 Cir., 404 F.2d 68 [November 15, 1968].
“The appeal is “Dismissed.”
What we said in Wade v. Carsley is similarly terse:
“Case No. 27,953, Wade v. Carsley, is moot. Wade’s additional imprisonment for inability to pay a $500.00 fine was fully served before this suit was brought initially. Wade pled guilty in state court to the offense of breach of the peace and was sentenced. She does not here attack the plea of guilty or the right of the court to impose sentence. She attacks only the length of the sentence imposed, i. e., the additional six months served for inability to pay the fine. The application of Williams [Williams v. Illinois, 399 U.S. 235, 90 S.Ct. 2018, 26 L.Ed.2d 586] will not invalidate the conviction marked against Wade’s record and there is simply no other relief available to Wade at this time. We obviously cannot turn back the clock. Neither can we find any collateral consequences that arise here from a fully-served sentence for inability to pay a fine. Wade’s misdemeanor conviction has not caused her to lose the right to vote, to hold public office to join a union, or to engage in a particular business, as was the case in Carafas v. LaVallee, 391 U.S. 234, 88 S.Ct. 1556, 20 L.Ed.2d 554 (1968). No. 27,953 is accordingly dismissed for mootness.” 433 F.2d at 70.
Both these cases were decided after the Supreme Court decided Carafas v. LaVallee.
The facts of this traffic case were that while he was a “jail trusty” Matthews was twice arrested for driving without a license and for making an improper start (running a stop sign). He pleaded guilty to the charges, but without counsel. This is now the case before us for habeas corpus review, although Matthews has long since paid his fine and been released from jail.
The majority says that Matthews’ driver’s license has been placed in a “precarious position” and that this constitutes a substantial collateral consequence. I look upon this with considerable skepticism because Matthews had no driver’s license when arrested and thus had no license to lose. Even more convincing, to me, is that the point system apparently applies only to those who have driver’s licenses. See 13 Florida Statutes Annotated, Motor Vehicles, § 322.27. Moreover, twelve points are required for a thirty day suspension, and an improper start conviction costs only three points. Of course, the statute provides no points for driving without a license. To cap it off, all points are automatically cancelled in thirty six months, so any points assessed against Matthews expired on January 20,1972.
As to “repercussions affecting his career and his reputation”, if that be a substantial collateral consequence, [See Note, 9 A.L.R.3rd at 474], Matthews made no point of this in the District Court and there are no findings with reference to it.
In any event, counsel for Matthews stated below that the purpose of the habeas corpus was to obtain a federal court order requiring that Matthews’ *683fine be refunded. This, of course, the District Court could not order. If Matthews’ original pleas of guilty are invalid, our jurisdiction in habeas corpus would be to direct his release, but ordinarily he could be tried anew, with counsel representing him. I doubt that Matthews wants that to happen.
I agree with the District Court that Matthews’ ease was moot and I would affirm the dismissal entered below.
I respectfully dissent.