State v. Davis
State v. Davis
Opinion of the Court
OPINION
Opinion by:
The sole issue presented in this appeal is whether the trial court erred in modifying a judgment of conviction and sentence thirty-five days after the trial court imposed the original sentence. The appeal is premised on the State’s contention that the motion for reconsideration or reduction in sentence filed by appellee, Caleb Davis, was untimely and cannot be construed as a motion for new trial or motion in arrest of judgment. Because we conclude that Davis’s timely motion for reconsideration is the equivalent of a motion for new trial, we affirm the trial court’s judgment.
Davis pled guilty to burglary with intent to commit aggravated assault. On September 14, 2009, the trial court imposed a sentence of fifteen years confinement. On October 6, 2009, Davis filed a motion for reconsideration or reduction of sentence. On October 16, 2009, the trial court signed an order granting Davis’s motion and reducing the sentence to twelve years confinement. The trial court signed a second judgment imposing the twelve-year sentence on October 19, 2009.
“[A] trial court retains plenary power to modify its sentence if a motion for new trial or motion in arrest of judgment is filed within 30 days of sentencing.”
The State also contends that the trial court’s judgment is “void” because the sentence “was not modified in open court and was without statutory authorization and without the presence of the parties.” The State cites McClinton v. State, 121 S.W.3d 768, 771 (Tex.Crim.App. 2003), as support for its contention. The majority of the court in McClinton, however, dismissed the State’s petition for discretionary review as improvidently granted. Id. at 768-69. From the State’s citation, it appears the State is relying on Judge Cochran’s concurring opinion in McClinton as authority.
We affirm the trial court’s judgment.
. The dissenting opinion asserts the cause should be remanded for the imposition of sentence because no sentence has been imposed. This assertion ignores that the trial court signed a judgment on October 19, 2009, imposing a twelve-year sentence.
. The trial court has seventy-five days to rule on a timely filed motion for new trial. Tex. R.App. P. 21.8(a).
. In her concurring opinion, Judge Cochran stated, "a trial court does not have the statutory authority to impose one sentence orally to the defendant and then, at some later date, enter a different, greater or lesser, sentence in his written judgment outside the defendant’s or State's presence.” McClinton, 121 S.W.3d at 770 (Cochran, J., concurring). Judge Cochran cites Ex parte Madding, 70 S.W.3d 131, 136 (Tex.Crim.App. 2002), as support for her assertion; however, in Ex parte Madding, the court stated, “A trial court does not have the statutory authority or discretion to orally pronounce one sentence in front of the defendant, but enter a different sentence in his written judgment outside the defendant’s presence.” 70 S.W.3d at 136.
. Pertinent to any potential due process issue, we note that Davis states in his brief that his Motion for Reconsideration contains a certificate of service reflecting service, and thus notice, to the State. The trial court signed the order modifying the sentence ten days
Dissenting Opinion
Dissenting Opinion by:
Although I agree the trial court had the authority to modify Appellee’s sentence, this case should be remanded to the trial court for sentencing proceedings. Because the majority opinion fails to do so, I respectfully dissent.
Background
On October 6, 2009, and within thirty days of his sentencing, Caleb Davis sought to modify a fifteen year sentence imposed by the trial court. Davis filed a document entitled “Motion for Reconsideration or Reduction of Sentence.” Apparently without conducting a hearing, the trial court granted the motion by written order dated October 16, 2009. In its order, the trial court “reduced and reformed” the sentence to twelve years in prison.
The State gave proper notice of appeal and now argues the trial court was without authority to grant the motion. The State contends the trial court could not alter the sentence once Davis began serving it, and relies on cases decided before the 2007 amendments to the Texas Rules of Appellate Procedure that allow trial courts to grant motions for new trial on punishment. See, e.g. State v. Aguilera, 165 S.W.3d 695, 698 (Tex.Crim.App. 2005) (trial court has plenary power- to modify sentence if modification made on the same day as assessment of the initial sentence and before the court adjourns for the day); State v. Hight, 907 S.W.2d 845, 847 (Tex.Crim.App. 1995) (trial court does not havé authority to grant new trial as to punishment only). Currently, our rules permit the trial judge to grant a new trial on punishment. See Tex. R.App. P. 21.1(b) (“New trial on punishment means a new hearing of the punishment stage of a criminal action after the trial court has, on the defendant’s motion, set aside an assessment of punishment without setting aside a finding or verdict of guilt.”); Tex. R.App. P. 21.3 (listing the grounds for which “[t]he defendant must be granted a new trial, or a new trial on punishment.”); Tex. RApp. P. 21.9(a) (“a
My disagreement arises because the majority simply affirms the judgment of the trial court. If the motion is construed as a motion for new trial on punishment, the granting of it merely returns the parties to the point where Davis has been found guilty, but no sentence has been imposed. See Tex. R.App. P. 21.9 (“Granting a new trial on punishment restores the case to its position after the defendant was found guilty.”) The trial judge must still impose a sentence. See Thompson v. State, 108 S.W.3d 287, 290 (Tex.Crim.App. 2003) (defendant tried on two felony charges but trial court orally sentenced only on one count, written judgment reflecting thirty-year sentence on both counts not proper; there was no “valid judgment” on count where sentence never orally pronounced). A felony sentence must be pronounced in the presence of the defendant, his attorney, and the attorney for the State. Tex. Code Crim. Proc. Ann. art. 42.03 § 1(a) (West 2010); Aguilera, 165 S.W.3d at 698. Because Davis has not been properly sentenced, there is not a valid judgment to affirm. The case should be remanded to the trial court for the proper imposition of sentence.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- The STATE of Texas, Appellant, v. Caleb DAVIS, Appellee
- Cited By
- 5 cases
- Status
- Published