S-19-0959 State v. Miranda Collins (Appellant)
Lancaster County District Court, Judge Susan I. Strong
Attorneys: Kimberly Klein (Attorney General’s Office) --- Toni Leija-Wilson (Leija Wilson Law)(Appellant)
Criminal: Plea; operating a vehicle to avoid arrest; obstructing a police officer
Proceedings below: Appellant was convicted in county court based on her guilty pleas and was ordered to pay a total of $1000 in fines with a one-year license revocation. Appellant was ordered to pay court costs and her bond was applied to the fines and costs. The county court denied her motion for new trial and her motion to reconsider. The district court affirmed on appeal.
Issues: 1) The district court erred in affirming the county court’s sentence of a $750 fine and one-year license revocation and in abusing its discretion by ordering Appellant to serve an excessive sentence, 2) the district court erred and abused its discretion by affirming the judgment and order of the county court to apply Appellant’s bond to fines and costs, and 3) the Appellant was not afforded effective assistance of counsel and prejudiced thereby, as follows: a) defense counsel failed to present sufficient evidence and information for the Court’s consideration in determining the proper sentence and thus her right to a fair sentencing hearing was prejudiced.