Court Opinion

ID: 9962884
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2024-04-23 23:05:33.775611+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T08:20:29.726323
License: Public Domain

D ORIGINAL                                  04/23/2024

            IN THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF MONTANA                             Case Number: DA 22-0680

                                        DA 22-0651
                                        DA 22-0678
                                        DA 22-0679
                                        DA 22-0680

 STATE OF MONTANA,

              Plaintiff and Appellee,

       v.                                                          ORDER

 REX WILLIAM ALLEN,
                                                                              FLED
              Defendant and Appellant.
                                                                               APR 2 3 2024
                                                                             Bowen Greenwood
                                                                           Clerk of Supreme Court
                                                                              State of Montana
       Appellant Rex William Allen, via counsel, moves this Court for clarification as t6
the status of his appeal. Counsel explains that the District Court entered orders while
Allen's appeal remained pending in this Court and counsel is unclear as to the effect of
those orders and whether they fulfill this Court's objectives in remanding the matter.
       On August 31, 2022, the Thirteenth Judicial District Court, Yellowstone County,
sentenced Allen in the four criminal cases he has since appealed. Allen was represented
by counsel appointed by the Office of Public Defender (OPD) at that time. Immediately
after sentencing, he moved, representing himself, for removal of his current counsel,
apPointment of new counsel, and leave to withdraw his guilty pleas. The next day, the
District Court entered judgment in each case.
       On September 19, 2022, Allen, again representing himself, applied for Sentence
Review. The Sentence Review Division immediately rejected his application because of
his pending motions.
       On November 1, 2022, the State moved the District Court for an extension of time
to respond to Allen's August 31, 2022 motions, but the District Court denied the State's
motion the following day, asserting there were no pending motions in this case. On
November 3, 2022, Allen, representing himself, filed another motion to withdraw his plea.
On November 4, 2022, the District Court issued an order that granted the State an extension
of time to respond to that motion.
       However, while that motion remained pending, Allen petitioned this Court for leave
to pursue an out-of-time appeal on November 19, 2022. He further requested appointment
of appellate counsel. He advised us that he had discussed filing an appeal with his
appointed trial counsel, but counsel did not timely file an appeal in this Court.
       On November 22, 2022, Allen's public defender moved to withdraw in the District
Court case and the District Court granted the motion. It is unclear as to whether Allen's
counsel or the court knew that he had petitioned this Court for out-of-time appeal as Allen's
petition is not in the District Court record. On that day, Allen, representing himself, filed
two additional motions in the District Court: a motion to appoint counsel, and a motion he
captioned as an "Injunction" in which he sought phone records.
       On November 29, 2022, we granted Allen's motion for out-of-time appeal and
appointed the Appellate Defender Division (ADD) to represent him. ADD appeared and
filed a Notice of Appeal in each case on December 19, 2022; as required by our Rules,
ADD filed the Notice of Appeal in each case in the District Court as well. The Clerk of
the District Court also transmitted the record to this Court on December 19, 2022.
       In spite of the Notices of Appeal, filings continued in Allen's District Court cases.
On January 6, 2023, the State moved for an extension of time to respond to the pending
motions, which the District Court granted. The State filed its response to Allen's motion
to withdraw his plea on February 6, 2023, and Allen filed his reply to the State's response
on February 27, 2023.
       At that time, we were unaware of these filings because the District Court record had
previously been transmitted. After transcripts were filed on January 25, 2023, the record,
which did not contain any District Court filings after December 19, 2022, was considered
complete for purposes of appeal and ADD requested, and was granted, a series of motions
for extension of time to file the opening brief on appeal.
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       On March 11, 2024, Allen, via appellate counsel, moved this Court for an order
remanding this matter to the bistriet Court and staying this appeal pending the District
Court's ruling on Allen's pending motions. Counsel advised us as to the existence of
Allen's pending District Court motions for appointment of new counsel and to withdraw
his pleas.
       On March 14, 2024, while Allen's motion for remand was pending in this Court, the
District Court issued an Order Denying Defendant's Motion to Withdraw Guilty Pleas,
Denying Motion to Appoint Counsel and Denying Motion to Subpoena Records. Both
Allen and the State agree that the District Court had no jurisdiction to issue this order
because of the pending appeal.
       On March 20, 2024, we granted Allen's motion for remand, further ordering that
the Office of Public Defender appoint him new counsel upon remand, and staying this
appeal pending our receipt of the District Court's rulings. At the time we issued that Order,
we were unaware of the District Court's March 14, 2024 order as it had not been
transmitted to this Court.
       On March 21, 2024, the District Court supplemented the record on appeal, filing its
March 14, 2024 Order Denying Defendant's Motion to Withdraw Guilty Pleas, Denying
Motion to Appoint Counsel and Denying Motion to Subpoena Records in this Court.
       On March 22, 2024, in spite of the District Court's order denying appointment of
counsel, the Office of Public Defender assigned Robert Kelleher as counsel for Allen in
the District Court cases.
       Allen now asks us for clarification as to the status of his appeal. Allen argues that
the District Court's March 14, 2024 order is void as that court had no jurisdiction to rule
on his pending motions at that time, and alternately the District Court failed to execute this
Court's remand instructions because it did not appoint him counsel. He asks this Court to
issue an Order specifying that this appeal remains on remand in the District Court and

                                              3
directing that court to appoint counsel and subsequently rule on his pending motions.1
Allen further requests that he be afforded the opportunity to consult with appointed
counsel, who may request further proceedings on the pending motions prior to the District
Court's disposition of those motions. Allen further advises us the State does not oppose
his motion for clarification and the State agrees the District Court lacked jurisdiction when
it entered its order denying his motions.
       We agree that the District Court lacked jurisdiction when it disposed of Allen's
motions.
       IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED that this case remains REMANDED to the
Thirteenth Judicial District Court for the purpose Off ruling on Allen's pending motions.
Since OPD has appointed counsel to represent Allen in the District Court, we need not
direct the District Court to do so.
       IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that the District Court's March 14, 2024 Order
Denying Defendant's Motion to Withdraw Guilty Pleas, Denying Motion to Appoint
Counsel and Denying Motion to Subpoena Records is VOID and VACA I ED.
       IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that Allen's appointed counsel may request further
proceedings pertaining to Allen's pending motions.
       IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that the District Court shall issue a written decision
on Allen's pending motions after the conclusion of briefing or following an evidentiary
hearing, if one is held. If the District Court denies Allen's motions to withdraw his guilty
pleas, it shall file a written decision to that effect and promptly supplement the record on
appeal with such order. The District Court shall further supplement the record on appeal
on an ongoing basis with all further filings made in that court in this case. If the District

1 It appears that Allen's appellate couhsel is unaware that, even though the District Court denied
Allen's motion for appointment of counsel on March 14, 2024, OPD appointed Allen new counsel
on March 22, 2024.

                                                4
Court grants the motion, Allen, via counsel shall take appropriate action to resolve this
appeal.
       IT IS FURTHER ORDERED the appeal in this matter is STAYED and the briefing
schedule is vacated until the District Court issues a new decision on Allen's pending
motions.
       The Clerk is directed to provide copies of this Order to all counsel of record, to the
Clerk of Court for Yellowstone County, and to the Honorable Ashley Harada, presiding
District Judge.
       Dated this-      day of April, 2024.

                                                                Chie   ustice

                                                                         e
                                                                   Justices

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