State of Idaho v. SAMUEL HERNANDEZ DELEON

IN THE COURT OF APPEALS OF THE STATE OF IDAHO

Docket No. 53280

STATE OF IDAHO, )
) Filed: June 2, 2026
Plaintiff-Respondent, )
) Melanie Gagnepain, Clerk
v. )
) THIS IS AN UNPUBLISHED
SAMUEL HERNANDEZ DELEON, ) OPINION AND SHALL NOT
) BE CITED AS AUTHORITY
Defendant-Appellant. )
)

Appeal from the District Court of the Fifth Judicial District, State of Idaho, Twin
Falls County. Hon. Benjamin J. Cluff, District Judge.

Appeal dismissed.

Erik R. Lehtinen, State Appellate Public Defender; Jenny C. Swinford, Deputy
Appellate Public Defender, Boise, for appellant.

Hon. Raúl R. Labrador, Attorney General; Kacey L. Jones, Deputy Attorney
General, Boise, for respondent.
________________________________________________

Before TRIBE, Chief Judge; HUSKEY, Judge;
and LORELLO, Judge
________________________________________________

PER CURIAM
Mindful that Samuel Hernandez DeLeon has fully served his sentence, he appeals and
argues that his sentence is excessive.
A case becomes moot when the issues presented are no longer live or the defendant lacks
a legally cognizable interest in the outcome. Murphy v. Hunt, 455 U.S. 478, 481 (1982); Bradshaw
v. State, 120 Idaho 429, 432, 816 P.2d 986, 989 (1991). Even where a question is moot, there are
three exceptions to the mootness doctrine: (1) when there is the possibility of collateral legal
consequences imposed on the person raising the issue; (2) when the challenged conduct is likely
to evade judicial review and thus is capable of repetition; and (3) when an otherwise moot
issue raises concerns of substantial public interest. State v. Barclay, 149 Idaho 6, 8, 232

1
P.3d 327, 329 (2010). The relief DeLeon has requested on appeal cannot be granted because he
has already served his sentence. Therefore, any judicial relief from this Court would have no effect
on either party. See id.
Therefore, the appeal from DeLeon’s judgment of conviction and sentence is dismissed.

2