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Jacobs v. State

Court of Appeals of Georgia
Oct 28, 1987
184 Ga. App. 869 (Ga. Ct. App. 1987)

Opinion

74846.

DECIDED OCTOBER 28, 1987. REHEARING DENIED NOVEMBER 17, 1987.

Burglary. Twiggs Superior Court. Before Judge Towson.

Jessie Jacobs, Pro se. Beverly B. Hayes, Jr., District Attorney, Edwin J. Wilson, Assistant District Attorney, for appellee.


Jacobs pled guilty, with the assistance of appointed counsel, to one count of burglary, OCGA § 16-7-1 (a). He has filed a pro se appeal.

A review of the record of the plea and sentencing proceeding shows that the trial court did not advise defendant of his right to have counsel appointed for any appeal he might wish to pursue. Cochran v. State, 253 Ga. 10 ( 315 S.E.2d 653) (1984); Smith v. State, 253 Ga. 169 ( 316 S.E.2d 757) (1984); Norwood v. State, 172 Ga. App. 685 ( 324 S.E.2d 545) (1984). While a defendant has a right to pursue an appeal pro se, Ga. Const. 1983, Art. I, Sec. I, Par. XII, Cochran v. State, supra, it must be preceded by an appropriate waiver of the right to appellate counsel. The failure to advise of the right to appeal was harmless error because defendant has in fact appealed, and in a timely fashion. But this does not cover the failure to advise of the right to counsel on appeal, Reid v. State, 235 Ga. 378 ( 219 S.E.2d 740) (1975), because appellant is here pro se without a showing on the record of an opportunity to choose.

Therefore, we dismiss this appeal without prejudice and remand this case for instructions by the trial court to Jacobs consistent with Clarke v. Zant, 247 Ga. 194 ( 275 S.E.2d 49) (1981) and Cochran, supra.

Appeal dismissed and case remanded. McMurray, P. J., and Sognier, J., concur.


DECIDED OCTOBER 28, 1987 — REHEARING DENIED NOVEMBER 17, 1987 — CERT. APPLIED FOR.


Summaries of

Jacobs v. State

Court of Appeals of Georgia
Oct 28, 1987
184 Ga. App. 869 (Ga. Ct. App. 1987)
Case details for

Jacobs v. State

Case Details

Full title:JACOBS v. THE STATE

Court:Court of Appeals of Georgia

Date published: Oct 28, 1987

Citations

184 Ga. App. 869 (Ga. Ct. App. 1987)
363 S.E.2d 155

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