State v. Stough

The opinion of the court was delivered by

Larson, J.:

This appeal raises questions of whether a trial court has jurisdiction to consider a motion to withdraw nolo contendere or guilty pleas and, if it does, whether it is an abuse of discretion to permit withdrawal of the pleas and dismissal of charges after the defendant had pled guilty, or nolo contendere and been sentenced, granted probation, and discharged from probation.

In May 1995, Donato M. Stough was charged with 22 drug-related counts, including numerous counts of unlawful use of a communications facility (telephone) in violation of…