Hernandez v. Idaho
Annotate this CaseJonathan Hernandez pled guilty to second-degree murder. He petitioned for post-conviction relief, arguing his trial counsel was ineffective for promising Hernandez he would not receive a sentence of more than ten to fifteen years. Following this alleged promise from his attorney, Hernandez signed a written plea agreement and guilty plea advisory form. At the change of plea hearing, the district court placed Hernandez under oath and confirmed that Hernandez and his attorney had reviewed the guilty plea advisory form. The district court later sentenced Hernandez to a unified term of life in prison, with a minimum period of confinement of forty-five years. Following an unsuccessful appeal, Hernandez petitioned for post-conviction relief. At the hearing on the State’s motion for summary judgment, the district court found that any error Hernandez’s counsel made was cured by a colloquy that took place between the district court and Hernandez at the change-of-plea hearing. There, the district court confirmed answers Hernandez gave on the plea agreement form and the potential sentence Hernandez faced. The district court granted the State’s motion for summary judgment and dismissed Hernandez's case with prejudice. Finding no reversible error in the dismissal of Hernandez's petition for relief, the Idaho Supreme Court affirmed the district court.
Some case metadata and case summaries were written with the help of AI, which can produce inaccuracies. You should read the full case before relying on it for legal research purposes.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.