H.L.D. v. State

H.L.D. appeals from an order denying his motion for extraordinary relief from a prior order determining him guilty of two offenses and placing him on six months’ probation. He also appeals from subsequent orders finding him guilty of violating his probation in that such orders were dependent on the validity of the initial order placing him on probation. We conclude that H.L.D.’s motion for extraordinary relief should have been granted because the original trial judge had engaged in improper ex parte communications with a court reporter to obtain the court reporter’s assistance in ascertaining…