Dedric Patterson v. State of Arkansas

── Dedric Patterson v. State of Arkansas ── Court: Court of Appeals of Arkansas Date: May 20, 2026 Category: General Cite as 2026 Ark. App. 325 ARKANSAS COURT OF APPEALS DIVISION III No. CR-25-613 Opinion Delivered: May 20, 2026 DEDRIC PATTERSON APPELLANT APPEAL FROM THE CRAWFORD COUNTY CIRCUIT COURT [NO. 17CR-24-45] V. HONORABLE CANDICE A. SETTLE, STATE OF ARKANSAS JUDGE APPELLEE REBRIEFING ORDERED; MOTION TO WITHDRAW DENIED CASEY R. TUCKER, Judge This is a no-merit appeal filed on behalf of Dedric Patterson following the circuit court’s revocation of his probation. Patterson’s counsel filed a timely notice of appeal followed by a no-merit brief pursuant to Anders v. California, 386 U.S. 738 (1967), and Arkansas Supreme Court Rule 4-3(b) (2023), along with a motion to be relieved as counsel asserting that there is no issue of arguable merit on appeal. The clerk of the court mailed Patterson a copy of counsel’s no-merit brief and was advised he had thirty days from the date the brief was filed to file pro se points for reversal. Ark. Sup. Ct. R. 4-3(b)(2). Appellant provided no pro se points for reversal, so the State filed no response. We deny counsel’s motion to withdraw and order rebriefing. In October 2024, Patterson entered a negotiated guilty plea to the crime of third- degree domestic battery second offense, a Class D felony. He was given a sentence of 120 twenty days in the Crawford County Detention Center with an additional five years of probation subject to certain conditions of behavior. The State filed a petition to revoke on March 11, 2025, and an amended petition to revoke on June 3 in which the State alleged that Patterson violated the terms of his probation and more specifically stated: That as of March 11, 2025, the Defendant had failed to abide by the terms and conditions of probation by failing to report to the probation office, failing to provide proof of employment or education enrollment, failed to provide a valid residence and is delinquent in supervision fees in the amount of $70. That as of June 3, 2025, the Defendant has failed to make any payments towards his fines, costs and fees leaving an unpaid balance of $3,400. Said conduct is in violation of the terms and conditions of his probation/suspended sentence and the Order of this Court. The revocation hearing was conducted on June 17. Deborah Martin, the financial coordinator for the Crawford County prosecutor’s office, testified that Patterson had failed to pay the $2,500 fine, $150 court costs, $40 booking fee, and $250 DNA fee he agreed to pay as a condition of his probation. Martin testified that Patterson agreed to pay $65 a month towards these fees, fines and costs beginning on March 3, 2025, but Patterson failed to make any payments. Daisy Lear, the parole and probation officer assigned to Patterson’s case, testified that Patterson never reported for intake, failed to provide a valid address and proof of employment, and never paid the $105 supervision fee due at the time of the revocation hearing. Since Lear had no contact information for Patterson, a petition to revoke was filed. During closing remarks, the State asked the court “to revoke him, give him the six years, satisfy the fines and costs, and send him on his way.” Patterson’s counsel requested 2 leniency in sentencing given it was his first felony offense, and the sentencing guidelines allow “CCC[1] or alternative sentencing.” Patterson’s counsel asked that he be