Morgan v. State, BD-304

Decision Date15 July 1986
Docket NumberNo. BD-304,BD-304
Citation491 So.2d 326,11 Fla. L. Weekly 1549
Parties11 Fla. L. Weekly 1549 Charles MORGAN, Appellant, v. STATE of Florida, Appellee.
CourtFlorida District Court of Appeals

Michael E. Allen, Public Defender, and Terry P. Lewis, Sp. Asst. Public Defender, for appellant.

Jim Smith, Atty. Gen., and Andrea Smith Hillyer, Asst. Atty. Gen., for appellee.

NIMMONS, Judge.

Appellant appeals from an order requiring him to pay restitution in the amount of $51,009.34. He had been convicted, pursuant to a nolo contendere plea, of grand theft and the court had placed him on probation for two years with a condition of restitution, the amount to be determined pursuant to a subsequent hearing.

At the subsequent hearing, several witnesses were presented in order to establish the amount which the defendant had stolen. All of the testimony and argument presented by counsel at the hearing pertained to the determination of the correct amount. Throughout the hearing, there was no suggestion that the defendant would not be able to pay restitution, even after the trial court tentatively indicated that the amount would be upwards of $50,000. Four days after the hearing, the court entered an order establishing the amount at $51,009.34 and requiring the defendant to pay such amount during his probationary period.

On appeal, the only point raised by the appellant is the failure of the trial court to consider the ability of the appellant to pay such restitution. Appellant does not contest the court's implicit finding that the appellant was responsible for the theft of the above sum.

It is true that the defendant had a right to require the court to consider the ability of the defendant to pay the restitution at the time of the entry of the restitution order. See Section 775.089(6), Florida Statutes (1984 Supp.); Ballance v. State, 447 So.2d 974, 976 (Fla. 1st DCA 1984). However, the defendant, by failing to assert, at any point in the proceedings below, his rights under Section 775.089(6), or to otherwise assert in any manner an inability to pay the restitution, waived his right to raise on appeal from the subject order the trial court's failure to determine the defendant's financial ability to pay. Section 775.089(7) provides, in pertinent part:

"(7) * * * The burden of demonstrating the financial resources of the defendant and the financial needs of the defendant and his dependents is on the defendant."

Of course, in the case at bar, unlike such cases exemplified by Fresneda v. State, 347 So.2d 1021 (Fla.1977) and Harris v. State, 452 So.2d 1041 (Fla. 2nd DCA 1984), the proceedings below were not flawed by any failure to provide the defendant with notice and opportunity to be heard on the issues...

To continue reading

Request your trial
11 cases
  • Slusser v. Commonwealth
    • United States
    • Court of Appeals of Virginia
    • May 10, 2022
    ...an inability to pay in a future revocation proceeding, see Duff , 16 Va. App. at 298-99, 429 S.E.2d 465. Accord Morgan v. State , 491 So. 2d 326, 327 (Fla. Dist. Ct. App. 1986) (holding that, even though the defendant waived his inability-to-pay argument by failing to raise it at sentencing......
  • Slusser v. Commonwealth
    • United States
    • Court of Appeals of Virginia
    • May 10, 2022
    ...... value." The Commonwealth also introduced a letter to. Hetherington from "State Farm". insurance. [ 3 ] The letter described two different. insurance benefits: an ... revocation proceeding, see Duff , 16 Va.App. at. 298-99. Accord Morgan......
  • Reynolds v. State
    • United States
    • Court of Appeal of Florida (US)
    • May 5, 1992
    ...to be heard on issues relevant to restitution." Goodson v. State, 400 So.2d 791, 793 (Fla. 2nd DCA 1981); Wilson. Cf. Morgan v. State, 491 So.2d 326 (Fla. 1st DCA 1986) (failure of defendant to assert right to restitution proceedings constituted waiver of right to appeal trial court's failu......
  • Therrien v. State, 92-2946
    • United States
    • Court of Appeal of Florida (US)
    • April 29, 1994
    ...the burden on her, if challenged, to prove that she has paid all that she can. Sec. 948.06, Fla.Stat. (1993); Morgan v. State, 491 So.2d 326 (Fla. 1st DCA 1986). PETERSON, J., concurs. W. SHARP, J., dissents with opinion. W. SHARP, Judge, dissenting. I respectfully dissent based on section ......
  • Request a trial to view additional results

VLEX uses login cookies to provide you with a better browsing experience. If you click on 'Accept' or continue browsing this site we consider that you accept our cookie policy. ACCEPT