Inmate Told to Stop 'Meritless' Appeals by Florida Supreme Court

The Florida Supreme Court released an order Thursday saying that inmate Jeffrey Robert Hastings has "abused" the judicial resources of the court as he has filed 27 "meritless" petitions since 2000.

The high court says Hastings can continue to file appeals, but only through a lawyer. And even then, the justices unanimously ordered that counsel must determine that the proceeding may have merit and can be filed in good faith.

Each proceeding initiated by Hastings concerning his convictions or sentences was either, like the instant petition, devoid of merit or inappropriate for review in this court, the justices stated in the order.

Hastings was sentenced to 15 years for escaping from state custody in Putnam County in 1974 and received six consecutive 30-year sentences for manslaughter in Palm Beach County for the deaths of six Haitians being smuggled into Florida in 1980. Hastings was first ordered to halt filing his own petitions on the manslaughter sentence in 1998 by the 15th Judicial Circuit. The 4th District Court of Appeal backed up the ruling in 2003.

The 5th District Court of Appeal in 2001 prohibited Hastings from doing the same regarding his escape sentence. Hastings has argued that his lengthy filing history was the result of his lack of legal sophistication and the failure of the lower courts to correct his allegedly illegal prison terms.

Hastings response shows neither justification for using, nor remorse about misusing, the limited judicial resources of this court, the high court justices stated in the order. We conclude that, unless he is stopped, Hastings will continue to file meritless requests for relief in this court regarding his convictions or sentences.