Jaar v. State

NORTHCUTT, Chief Judge.

Louisa Jaar is a Canadian citizen who, in 1998, pleaded nolo contendere to charges of grand theft, a third-degree felony, and trespass, a first-degree misdemeanor, in Pinellas County. When the circuit court accepted her pleas, it did not advise her of the possible deportation consequences. See Fla. R.Crim. P. 3.172(c)(8). After deportation proceedings were instituted against Jaar in late 2005, she moved to withdraw the pleas. See Fla. R.Crim. P. 3.850(a)(5). She appeals the postconviction court’s denial of that motion. We reverse.

Before accepting a defendant’s plea of…