Court Opinion

ID: 9859915
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-09-24 22:58:02.407249+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T11:09:51.188639
License: Public Domain

GIVAN, Chief Justice,
dissenting.
I respectfully dissent from the majority opinion in this case. Although the majority correctly sets out that a trial judge is required to advise a defendant making a guilty plea that the court is not bound by the plea, I see no reversible error in this case because of a lack of such advise. Here the trial court did, in fact, accept the plea bargain and sentenced the appellant according to the agreement between the State and the appellant.
I would hold there is reversible error in this type of situation only where the trial judge does not follow the sentencing recommendation and does, in fact, sentence the appellant to a greater sentence than recommended by the prosecutor. I perceive no possible harm to the appellant resulting from the judge's failure to advise the appellant that he was not bound by the recommendation of the State.
I would, therefore, affirm the trial court.
PIVARNIK, J., concurs.