Missouri Court of Appeals, Southern District / Jan 5, 2024
JORDAN MARTIN, Appellant v. STATE OF MISSOURI, Respondent
Jordan Martin appealed the dismissal of his pro se Rule 29.15 motion for postconviction relief as untimely. Martin had submitted a letter with his motion explaining that prison officials prevented its timely mailing. The motion court dismissed the motion without a hearing and without issuing findings of fact and conclusions of law. The appellate court reversed and remanded, holding that Martin's accompanying letter should have been considered part of his motion to allege timely filing, and that the motion court erred by not holding a hearing on the timeliness issue or issuing required findings.