Edward Gotowala v. State of Florida

In Gotowala v. State, 162 So.3d 33 (Fla. 4th DCA 2014), we reversed because the lower court summarily denied Gotowala’s petition to seal his criminal records. We instructed the trial court to conduct an evidentiary hearing or provide written reasons as to why it was denying the petition.

On remand, the lower court again denied Gotowala’s petition. It did not conduct an evidentiary hearing. Instead, it relied on the facts to which Gotowala pled, which were set forth in a law enforcement officer’s probable cause affidavit. The lower court’s reason for denying the petition was that the facts of…