SOLOMON D. ROBERTS, PETITIONER,
v.
JULIE L. JONES, ETC., RESPONDENT

Fla. | 2017-03-23
No. SC16-1150
LABARGA, C.J., and PARIENTE, LEWIS, QUINCE, CANADY, POLSTON, and LAWSON, JJ., concur.
213 So. 3d 912 Florida Supreme Court (2017) Positive Treatment
Cited by 2 cases

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Synopsis

The Florida Supreme Court imposed sanctions on Solomon Roberts, a pro se prisoner who filed his twenty-fifth petition since 2000, by barring him from filing future pro se pleadings regarding his 1982 convictions unless represented by counsel. The court found Roberts' repeated filings constituted frivolous abuse of judicial resources despite his claims that his sentence was illegal.


Holding

The court imposed sanctions on Roberts by prohibiting him from filing any future pro se pleadings concerning his convictions or sentences unless represented by counsel, and directed notification to the Florida Department of Corrections for possible disciplinary action pursuant to section 944.279(1). The court concluded that Roberts failed to show cause why sanctions should not be imposed, and that his inability to obtain relief elsewhere does not justify his misuse of judicial resources.


Headnotes

[1] A court may impose sanctions, including barring future pro se filings, against a litigant who repeatedly files frivolous or meritless petitions.

[2] A prisoner's repeated misuse of judicial resources, even when asserting claims of illegal sentence or manifest injustice, does not justify continued abuse of the court's…

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Key Quotes

“Roberts' repeated filing of frivolous pro se requests for relief in other courts has resulted in both the Third District Court of Appeal and the Eleventh Judicial Circuit barring Roberts from filing any further pro se requests for relief.”

Establishes Roberts' pattern of frivolous filings and prior judicial sanctions from lower courts

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Facts & Procedural History

Roberts pleaded guilty in 1982 to attempted first-degree murder, robbery with a deadly weapon, armed burglary, and kidnapping, and was sentenced to li…

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Opinion of the Court
PER CURIAM.

PER CURIAM.

Solomon D. Roberts has filed a pro se petition for writ of habeas corpus with this Court.1 The petition is the twenty-fifth petition or notice that Roberts has filed with the Court since 2000. We dismissed Roberts’ petition and expressly retained jurisdiction for possible imposition of sanctions. Roberts v. Jones, No. SC16-1150, Order at 1 (Fla. Sept. 29, 2016); see Fla. R. App. P. 9.410(a) (Sanctions; Court’s Motion).

In 1982, Roberts pled guilty to several counts of attempted first-degree murder, robbery with a deadly weapon, armed burglary, and kidnapping in the Circuit Court for the Eleventh Judicial Circuit,-in and for Miami-Dade County, Florida. He was sentenced to life in prison for those offenses on November 16, 1982 (case numbers 78-CF-5774, 82-CF-8169, 82-CF-9856, and 82-CF-15413).

After his cases became final, Roberts repeatedly sought postconviction relief from his convictions and sentences. His repeated filing of frivolous pro se requests for relief in other courts has resulted in both the Third District Court of Appeal and the Eleventh Judicial Circuit barring Roberts from filing any further pro se requests for relief. See Roberts v. State, No. 3D13-1438 (Fla. 3d DCA Feb. 29, 2014); State v. Roberts, No. 82-CF-8169 (Fla. 11th Cir. Ct. Jan 23, 2015).

The instant habeas petition is Roberts’ most recent attempt to overturn his convictions and sentences. It is the twenty-fifth pro se petition or notice that Roberts has filed with this Court since 2000.2 In it, *913Roberts again challenged his convictions and sentences, along with the circuit court’s application of its barring order to a pro se postconviction motion that he attempted to file there. The petition in this case was meritless, and we dismissed it in part, see Pettway v. State, 776 So.2d 930, 931 (Fla. 2000), and dismissed it as unauthorized in part, see Baker v. State, 878 So.2d 1236 (Fla. 2004). In so doing, we expressly retained jurisdiction and, in accordance with State v. Spencer, 751 So.2d 47 (Fla. 1999), directed Roberts to show cause why he should not be barred from filing any future pro se requests for relief and referred to the Florida Department of Corrections for possible disciplinary action pursuant to section 944.279(1), Florida Statutes (2016).

In his response to the show cause order, Roberts argued that he should not be sanctioned by the Court because his illegal sentence constitutes a manifest injustice, and he should not be sanctioned for diligently pursuing justice and challenging the legality of his sentence. Both the circuit court and district court, however, have specifically considered Roberts’ illegal sentence and manifest injustice claims and denied him relief. See, e.g., Roberts v. State, 156 So.3d 2, 3 (Fla. 3d DCA 2014); State v. Roberts, No. 78-CF-5774 (Fla. 11th Cir. Ct. Aug. 27, 2015). Roberts’ inability to obtain the relief he seeks elsewhere does not justify his repeated misuse of this Court’s limited judicial resources. Additionally, at no point in Roberts’ response does he provide any indication that he will abstain from further abuse of the judicial process if left unrestrained. Accordingly, we conclude that Roberts has failed to show cause why sanctions should not be imposed. We further conclude that Roberts’ petition in this case is a frivolous proceeding brought before this Court by a state prisoner. See § 944.279(1), Fla. Stat.

The Clerk of this Court is therefore directed to reject any future pleadings or other requests for relief submitted by Solomon D. Roberts that pertain to his con*914victions or sentences (case numbers 78-CF-5774, 82-CF-8169, 82-CF-9856, and 82-CF-15413) unless such filings are signed by a member in good standing of The Florida Bar. Going forward, Roberts may only petition the Court about his convictions or sentences through the assistance of counsel whenever such counsel determines that the proceeding may have merit and can be filed in good faith. Additionally, and consistent with section 944.279(1), we direct the Clerk of this Court to forward a certified copy of this opinion to the Florida Department of Corrections’ institution or facility where Roberts is incarcerated. See Steele v. State, 14 So.3d 221, 224 (Fla. 2009).

No motion for rehearing or clarification will be entertained by the Court.

It is so ordered.

LABARGA, C.J., and PARIENTE, LEWIS, QUINCE, CANADY, POLSTON, and LAWSON, JJ., concur.


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Citator

Cited By

  • Solomon Roberts v. State, 224 So. 3d 289 (Fla. 3d DCA 2017)
    …DCA Feb. 26, 2014). Moreover, the Florida Supreme Court prohibited Roberts from filing any further pro se pleadings pertaining to his convictions, or sentences in case numbers 78-CF-5774, 82-CF-8169, 82-CF-9866 and 82-CF-45413. See Roberts v. Jones, 213 So. 3d 912 (Fla. 2017).1 Accordingly, Roberts is prohibited from filing any further pro se appeals, pleadings, motions, or petitions relating to his convictions, judgments, and sentences in lower tribunal case number F78-5774B. See Cruz v. State, 981 So. 2d 1…

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