State Of Louisiana v. Patrick Gilton

STATE OF LOUISIANA NO. 2023 KW 1190

VERSUS

PATRICK GILTON FEBRUARY 16, 2024

In Re: Patrick Gilton, applying for supervisory writs, 17th
Judicial District Court, Parish of Lafourche, No.
612067.

BEFORE: WELCH, WOLFE, AND STROMBERG, JJ.

WRIT GRANTED IN PART AND DENIED IN PART. Appeals are

constitutionally guaranteed. See La. Const. art. V, § 5 and §

10. Appeals are favored in the law and should not be dismissed
on a mere technicality. See Williams v. Hosp. Serv. Dist. No. 1
of Tangipahoa Parish, 2018- 1386 ( La. 12/ 17/ 18), 258 So. 3d 584,
585 ( per curiam) . Furthermore, a defendant' s failure to specify
which rulings he desires to reserve for appeal may limit the
scope of appellate review but should not preclude review

altogether. See State v. Becnel, 2020- 0587 ( La. App. 1st Cir.
4/ 16/ 21) , 323 So. 3d 408, 411. See also State v. Joseph, 2003-
315 ( La. 5/ 16/ 03) , 847 So. 2d 1196 ( per curiam) .
Accordingly,
the writ application is granted, in part, for the purpose of

transferring to the district court for consideration as a

request to reinstate relator' s right to appeal. The district
court is ordered to hold an evidentiary hearing to determine if
relator is entitled to an out - of -time appeal under Roe v.

Flores -Ortega, 528 U. S. 470, 120 S. Ct. 1029, 1035, 145 L. Ed. 2d
985 ( 2000) and State v. Counterman, 475 So. 2d 336, 339 ( La.
1985) and to appoint counsel for the hearing if relator is
indigent. See La. Code Crim. P. art. 930. 7. In all other

respects, the writ application is denied.

JEW
EW

TPS