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Wirth v. the Fifth Jud. Dist. Ct.
IN THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEVADA
CHARLES MATTHEW WIRTH, No. 69108 Petitioner, vs. THE FIFTH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT OF THE STATE OF NEVADA, FILED IN AND FOR THE COUNTY OF NYE, JUN 1 3 2016 Respondent, and STATE OF NEVADA, Real Party in Interest.
ORDER GRANTING PETITION This is a pro se petition for a writ of mandamus. Petitioner Charles Wirth alleges that he has not been allowed to file a pro se motion to correct an illegal sentence in the district court because he is represented by counsel in habeas proceedings pending in the district court. We have consistently held that the district court clerk has a ministerial duty to accept and file documents presented for filing if those documents are in proper form. See, e.g., Sullivan v. Eighth Judicial Dist. Court, 111 Nev. 1367, 1372, 904 P.2d 1039, 1042 (1995) (holding that the district court clerk had a duty to file an application to proceed in forma pauperis and "receive" a civil complaint); Bowman v. Eighth Judicial Dist. Court, 102 Nev. 474, 478, 728 P.2d 433, 435 (1986) (holding that the clerk has a ministerial duty to accept and file documents unless given specific directions from the district court to the contrary). This court has further recognized that the clerk of the district court has a duty to maintain accurate files. See Whitman v. Whitman, 108 Nev. 949, 951, 840 P.2d 1232, 1233 (1992) (holding that clerk has no authority to return documents submitted for filing and must maintain such documents in the record of the case); Donoho v. Eighth Judicial Dist, Court, 108 Nev. 1027, 1029-30, 842 P.2d 731, 733 (1992) (holding that the clerk of the district SUPREME COURT DP NEVADA
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court has a duty to file documents and to keep an accurate record of the proceedings before the court). Because a motion to correct an illegal sentence is a separate action from a postconviction petition for a writ of habeas corpus, see Edwards v. State, 112 Nev. 704, 709, 918 P.2d 321, 325 (1996) (recognizing that a motion to correct an illegal sentence is a separate proceeding that is not governed by NRS chapter 34), it appeared from this court's review that Wirth had set forth an issue of arguable merit and had no adequate remedy at law. See NRS 34.160; NRS 34.170. Thus, this court directed the State to file an answer. The State does not dispute that Wirth should be granted relief in relation to the filing of the motion to correct an illegal sentence. Accordingly, we ORDER the petition GRANTED AND DIRECT THE CLERK OF THIS COURT TO ISSUE A WRIT OF MANDAMUS instructing the district court to FILE THE MOTION TO CORRECT AN ILLEGAL SENTENCE.'
Hardesty
J. J. Pickering [
IA copy of the motion to correct an illegal sentence is attached to this order. We previously determined that petitioner was not entitled to any relief on his claim relating to the points and authorities as he is represented by counsel in the postconviction proceedings. See Wirth v. Fifth Judicial Dist. Court, Docket No. 69108 (Order Directing Answer, March 17, 2016). However, we caution the district court against returning legal mail unopened as there does not appear to be any practical means of determining from unopened correspondence whether the documents should be filed or received and maintained in the court's records. We deny as moot the request to clarify our prior decision directing an answer. SUPREME COURT OF NEVADA 2 (0) 1947A e
cc: Hon. Kimberly Wanker, District Judge Charles Matthew Wirth Attorney General/Carson City Nye County District Attorney Nye County Clerk
SUPREME COURT OF NEVADA 3 (0) 1947A )41E)94
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1 POINTS AND AUTHORITIES 2 3 THIS COURT HAS INHERENT AUTHORITY MODIFY, SUSPEND OR OTHERWISE COR TO 4 IT'S OWN SENTENCES. RECT
5 The inherent power to correct an illegal sentence, like the inhere nt power 6 to modify sentences based on mistakes about a defendant's rec ord, must 7 necessarily include the power to entertain a motion to correc t an illegal 8 sentence. Edwards v. State 112 Nev. 704, 918 P.2d 321, 1996 Nev . LEXIS 84(1996) 9 rrx 10 STATUTORY AUTHORITY 11 This court may correct an illega l sentence at any time. NRS 617 6.555 12 1:1:r lit 13 CORRECTION REQUIRED WHEN DEFEND ANT SENTENCE IS OUTSIDE THE STATUTORY 'S 14 JURISDICTIONAL GUIDELINES. /
15 A motion to correct an illegal sentence may challenge the facial legality 16 of the sentence because either "the district court was without jurisdiction to 17 impose a sentence or the sentence was imposed in excess of the statutory 18 maximum." Edwards v. State 112 Nev. 704, 708, 918 P.2d 321 , 324 (1996). 19 CONCLUSION 20 As demonstrated above, the senten ce imposed is an "illegal senten ce" and 21 as such, the defendant pra ys the court would grant relief from the currently 22 imposed sentence and cor rect the sentence accordingly. 23 Dated this ( 61- day of integ- t 201 . ,
24 25 d 14 S e .s9ror 09 5-6 v4 Lovelock Correctional Center 26 1200 Prison Road Lovelock, Nevada 89419 27 Defendant in pro se.
CERTIFICATE OF SERV ICE EV MAIL 2 I do, certify that I mailed a true an d correct copy of 3 MOTION TO CORRECT the, foregoing ILLEGAL SENTENCE A-77 to the below list 4 5 day of ‘77/.e via prison law libr , 201 ary staff, pursuant _ ed address on this , by placing same in the U.S. Mail to Nevada Rules of 6 5(b): Civil Procedure
7 8 A/Ye d ourrty st5-r 4 nony, 9 I 5?-o liSovt P41% rtivil tvip, 2 10 906o
11 12 Crilnete t..-00 r‘,./X /a957% 13 Lovelock Correction 14 1200 Prison Road al Center Lovelock, Nevada 89 15 Defendant in Pro Se 419 . 16 AFFIRMATION PURS UANT TO MRS 2393 .030 The undersigned do es hereby affirm that the precedin 18 MODIFICATION OF SE g MOTION FOR NTENCE filed in th is case does not 19 security number of containS the soci any person. • al 20 Dated this 51- day of J-14 ,1/2L e. 201:L. 21 ,
22 23 rLoveig a W ireln 1045-6n na %fa lock Correc c-- ti 24 1200 Prison Road onal Center Lovelock, Nevada 89 25 , Defendant in Pro Sc 419 . 26 27 28
Footnotes
[2] Dept No. 3 4
[5] IN THE sr JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT OF THE'; STA j TE 9F NEV
[6] IN AND FOR THE COUNTY OF plite 7
[8] FIXED
[9] STATE OF NEVADA, JAN 2.7 2016 Plaintiff, 10
[11] Vs. _m ja ' ey / fr /< LINDEMAN ClaRKup EME DEPOT'? CLERK da---r/eS tdc.-) 44-1/1
[12] Defendant. 13 14 15 MOTION TO RRECT ILLEGAL SENTENCE 16 a rle • The defendant in this action, in pro se, 17 oves this court for an ord granting defendant l s motion to correct illegal 18 senten ce. This motion is de and based upon the provisions of NRS 4 176.555 19 (The cou rt may correct an illegal sentence at any time); all papers, pleadings 20 and doc uments on Li. therin; and the following points and authorities. 21 STATEMENT OF FACTS 22 Sentioneed re/07i oFfizeriSe c / cLc ?led 23 ■ ;(19 icerecciam icy vC 1"-R 24 0 4 :21elas .?0 U 25 C) ISc i 5-711an c 4-1 a, 71 dad-4, A i rs ctel d 26 % r wee/ ht -9 C co- to V,ø/ ait 27 eoec e-C 28 Pep, TRACIE IC LINDEMAN CLERK OF SUPREME COURT DEPUTY CLERK 16 ° zit 2- - PO IP /1 --b5 4/7D /4 ti+40.-14- IL ea-ss-er i- +4a.. 24- 1141/a.cla. ti,Pre cot( Prededenr i a-5 as redera.i cas-e ia.A/ recocti;a es •46eti- a. on"? So 60" cc+ frri j Sc s'el-lon Can 13 .€ 6 penicphii- i=or4-1, 44-A-ic, Em,ers„ E adiejew J'51- edur÷ a63 .78 1 ;;1/ 21). A/50 , See C 14)(2-Sha-C C0 4'h+7 g arro ;ea P31 7c-c, —21,e -Hian 1 one?" Pled /4-y "fa +4 eS-e a..-i- ;in ir5el6 15 no* CL Ltia- Orleen5e5 or: +/re r-coc4, /c o rd e a- C of Sqk ;en,- met-4-ter asa ces 5e4 e4 cr-ea--teS cr- on 01:14-cn 5.e) C 05 V SCr 5 Court- of A Pile/5 5' 4 c/e- D,e,t3) / 156 Cee us, 2-e+-er "3 to $2301 7 oq 1 C/iC'r:)-coa.)) . e-heee- mote eeS k, c/ecl dentnn icor M P'S ;431'2‘.1° IL SubSeFcten* 0 F/2 enSre bnids-r- Ccr-// due 7/-e? hi-h-e /am, watt re41-e oP /er, teat ere • len a-hy Yte a-Conet Lie a-S 'Lc V/o/a---fria he,'y cZet ceed as its hnusr r'eSoivect ; ra,vor dr- -1-h-e Pe-t-1 4 1, 1"00ee C cadet , veeit