{"disclaimer":"This is a summary of public court records and is not legal advice. Missouri slip opinions may be modified or withdrawn; consult the official source.","party":{"slug":"michele-buckner-warden-south-central-correctional-center","displayName":"MICHELE BUCKNER, WARDEN, SOUTH CENTRAL CORRECTIONAL CENTER","totalCases":1},"cases":[{"caseId":"moappsd:sd38312:2024-10-29","opinionId":"2ccaacad-3ff3-551c-93c7-d948fee5e226","slug":"in-re-robert-j-branson-petitioner-v-michele-buckner-warden-south-central-d38312","caseName":"IN RE ROBERT J. BRANSON, Petitioner\nv.\nMICHELE BUCKNER, WARDEN, SOUTH CENTRAL CORRECTIONAL CENTER, Respondent","caseNumber":"SD38312","court":"moappsd","courtLabel":"Missouri Court of Appeals, Southern District","decisionDate":"2024-10-29","year":2024,"display_summary":"Robert J. Branson pleaded guilty to first-degree child molestation and was sentenced to life imprisonment, though the State only alleged facts supporting a class B felony, which carried a maximum of 15 years. Branson sought a writ of habeas corpus, arguing his sentence exceeded the statutory maximum. The appellate court granted the writ, vacating Branson's convictions and sentences, and remanded the case for further proceedings, holding that the illegal sentence constituted a sentencing defect and a material mistake in the plea agreement.","primaryTopic":"criminal-procedure","topicSlugs":["criminal-procedure","appellate-procedure","contracts","other"],"outcomeNorm":"mixed","officialSourceUrl":"https://www.courts.mo.gov/file.jsp?id=214095","detailUrl":"https://ott.law/missouri-courts/opinions/in-re-robert-j-branson-petitioner-v-michele-buckner-warden-south-central-d38312","relatedPracticeAreas":[{"slug":"criminal-law","label":"Criminal Law","href":"/practice-areas/criminal-law","score":38,"source":"tag","evidence":["tag: criminal-law","topic: criminal-procedure","text: felony","text: sentence"],"url":"https://ott.law/practice-areas/criminal-law"},{"slug":"corporate","label":"Corporate Law","href":"/practice-areas/corporate","score":12,"source":"topic","evidence":["topic: contracts"],"url":"https://ott.law/practice-areas/corporate"},{"slug":"litigation","label":"Civil Litigation","href":"/practice-areas/litigation","score":12,"source":"topic","evidence":["topic: appellate-procedure"],"url":"https://ott.law/practice-areas/litigation"}],"role":"respondent"}]}