EDWARD C v COLLINGS

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NO. 81-80 I N THE SUPREME COURT O THE STATE O MONTANA F F 1381 EDWARD C . , G u a r d i a n Ad L i t e m o f WILLIAM E . , a Minor, P e t i t i o n e r and A p p e l l a n t , DAVID J . COLLIXGS, S h e r i f f o f P o w e l l County, Montana, Respondent and Respondent. ORIGIXAL PROCEEDING : C o u n s e l o f Record: For Appellant: McCaffery and P e t e r s o n , B u t t e , Montana For Respondent: & * j & Ted L. M i z n e r , County ~ t t o r n e y ;? m a d I Montana Submitted on B r i e f : Dec2ded: Filed: N 5 - 1981 G April 23, 1981 August 5 , 1 9 8 1 M r . J u s t i c e Frank B. Morrison, J r . , d e l i v e r e d t h e Opinion of t h e Court. Edward C . , p e t i t i o n e d f o r a w r i t of habeas c o r p u s on b e h a l f of h i s minor s o n , William E . The p e t i t i o n stemmed from a n o r d e r of t h e J u s t i c e C o u r t , Powell County, f i n d i n g William g u i l t y of i l l e g a l p o s s e s s i o n of a l c o h o l and sent e n c i n g him t o a $50 f i n e and t e n d a y s i n t h e Powell County jail. William i s a 17-year-old Montana. minor who l i v e s i n Deer Lodge, On J a n u a r y 30, 1981, he w a s a r r e s t e d f o r i l l e g a l p o s s e s s i o n of a l c o h o l , a misdemeanor. A c i t a t i o n was i s s u e d , and William was o r d e r e d t o a p p e a r i n t h e Powell County J u s t i c e C o u r t , Deer Lodge, Montana. William a p p e a r e d b e f o r e t h e j u s t i c e c o u r t on F e b r u a r y 3, 1981. H e was unaccompanied by p a r e n t o r c o u n s e l . was r e a d h i s r i g h t s i n c l u d i n g h i s r i g h t t o c o u n s e l . William Petitioner a s s e r t s t h e minor was n o t a d v i s e d t h a t h i s p a r e n t s c o u l d o r s h o u l d be p r e s e n t . Additionally, p e t i t i o n e r a l l e g e s t h a t William r e q u e s t e d t h e r i g h t t o speak w i t h h i s f a t h e r , b u t such r e q u e s t was d e n i e d a f t e r William a d m i t t e d t o p o s s e s s i o n of two c a n s of b e e r . By a f f i d a v i t , t h e p r e s i d i n g j u s t i c e of t h e p e a c e s t a t e d t h a t William was o f f e r e d t h e o p p o r t u n i t y t o have h i s p a r e n t s present. The minor d e f e n d a n t a l l e g e d l y had a l r e a d y d i s c u s s e d t h e problem w i t h h i s p a r e n t s ; he d i d n o t want them t h e r e , and h e d i d n o t want c o u n s e l . According t o t h e j u s t i c e , William a d m i t t e d p o s s e s s i o n of a l c o h o l and wanted t o p l e a d g u i l t y though he had been a d v i s e d of t h e f i n e and j a i l t i m e t o be imposed. William was found g u i l t y of i l l e g a l p o s s e s s i o n of a l c o h o l and s e n t e n c e d t o a $50 f i n e and t e n d a y s i n t h e county j a i l . The j a i l t e r m was t o be s a t i s f i e d by s e r v i n g f i v e c o n s e c u t i v e weekends, b e g i n n i n g a t 4 : 0 0 p.m. F r i d a y and e n d i n g a t 4:00 p.m. e a c h Sunday. of e a c h William began s e r v i n g t h e s e n t e n c e , d u r i n g t h e weekends of F e b r u a r y 6-8 and 13-15, 1981, whereupon t h e s e n t e n c e was suspended by agreement of a l l p a r t i e s u n t i l t h e m a t t e r c o u l d be h e a r d and d e c i d e d by t h i s C o u r t . The i s s u e p r e s e n t e d t o t h i s C o u r t i s : Whether William E. e f f e c t i v e l y waived h i s c o n s t i t u t i o n a l r i g h t t o c o u n s e l i n the justice court? The i s s u e i n t h i s c a s e a r i s e s a s a r e s u l t of t h e concurr e n t j u r i s d i c t i o n o v e r i l l e g a l p o s s e s s i o n of a l c o h o l v i o l a t i o n s g r a n t e d t o y o u t h c o u r t s and t o j u s t i c e , m u n i c i p a l , o r c i t y courts. S e c t i o n 41-5-203, MCA, Montana Youth C o u r t A c t , provides t h a t : " (1) E x c e p t a s p r o v i d e d i n s u b s e c t i o n ( 2 ) , t h e c o u r t h a s e x c l u s i v e o r i g i n a l j u r i s d i c t i o n of a l l p r o c e e d i n g s under t h e Montana Youth C o u r t Act i n which a youth i s a l l e g e d t o be a d e l i n q u e n t y o u t h , a y o u t h i n need of s u p e r v i s i o n , o r a y o u t h i n need of c a r e o r c o n c e r n i n g any p e r s o n under 2 1 y e a r s of a g e charged w i t h having v i o l a t e d any law of t h e s t a t e o r o r d i n a n c e of any c i t y o r town o t h e r t h a n a t r a f f i c o r f i s h and game law p r i o r t o having become 18 y e a r s of a g e . " ( 2 ) J u s t i c e , m u n i c i p a l , and c i t y c o u r t s have concurrent j u r i s d i c t i o n with t h e youth c o u r t over a l l a l c o h o l i c b e v e r a g e v i o l a t i o n s a l l e g e d t o have been committed by a y o u t h . " P o s s e s s i o n of a l c o h o l i s a n o f f e n s e p u r s u a n t t o s e c t i o n 45-5-624, MCA, which p r o v i d e s : ... " (1) A p e r s o n under t h e a g e of 19 commits t h e o f f e n s e of p o s s e s s i o n of an i n t o x i c a t i n g s u b s t a n c e i f he knowingly h a s i n h i s p o s s e s s i o n a n a l c o h o l i c b e v e r a g e , e x c e p t t h a t he does n o t commit t h e o f f e n s e when i n t h e c o u r s e of h i s employment i t i s necessary t o possess a l c o h o l i c beverages." The p e n a l t i e s p u r s u a n t t o t h i s s t a t u t e a r e : " ( 2 ) A p e r s o n c o n v i c t e d of t h e o f f e n s e of p o s s e s s i o n of a n i n t o x i c a t i n g s u b s t a n c e s h a l l be f i n e d n o t t o exceed $50 o r b e imprisoned i n t h e c o u n t y j a i l f o r a n y term n o t t o e x c e e d 1 0 d a y s , o r b o t h . If proceedings a r e held i n t h e youth c o u r t , t h e prec e d i n g p e n a l t y d o e s n o t a p p l y , and t h e o f f e n d e r s h a l l b e t r e a t e d a s a n a l l e g e d y o u t h i n need o f s u p e r v i s i o n a s d e f i n e d i n 41-5-103(13) . . ." I n l i g h t o f s e c t i o n 45-5-624, MCA, it i s c l e a r t h a t the c o u n t y a t t o r n e y h a s s o l e d i s c r e t i o n o v e r which c o u r t s h a l l h e a r i l l e g a l p o s s e s s i o n of a l c o h o l v i o l a t i o n s . Difficulties a r i s e because although a defendant's c o n s t i t u t i o n a l r i g h t s must be r e s p e c t e d i n e a c h s e t t i n g , w a i v e r p r o v i s i o n s a r e e x p r e s s l y s t a t e d f o r y o u t h c o u r t and would s e e m t o b e a t variance with those i n j u s t i c e court. Regarding t h e r i g h t t o counsel i n j u s t i c e o r municipal c o u r t , s e c t i o n 46-8-101, MCA, p r o v i d e s : " ( 1 ) Every d e f e n d a n t b r o u g h t b e f o r e t h e c o u r t must b e i n f o r m e d by t h e c o u r t t h a t i t i s h i s r i g h t t o have c o u n s e l b e f o r e p r o c e e d i n g a n d must b e a s k e d i f h e d e s i r e s t h e a i d of c o u n s e l . " ( 2 ) The d e f e n d a n t , i f c h a r g e d w i t h a f e l o n y , m u s t be advised t h a t counsel w i l l be f u r n i s h e d a t s t a t e e x p e n s e i f h e i s u n a b l e t o employ c o u n s e l . If the o f f e n s e c h a r g e d i s a f e l o n y and i f t h e d e f e n d a n t d e s i r e s c o u n s e l and i s u n a b l e t o employ c o u n s e l , a c o u r t o f r e c o r d m u s t a s s i g n c o u n s e l t o d e f e n d him. " ( 3 ) I f t h e o f f e n s e c h a r g e d i s a misdemeanor and i f t h e d e f e n d a n t d e s i r e s c o u n s e l and i s u n a b l e t o employ counsel, a c o u r t of record i n t h e i n t e r e s t of j u s t i c e may a s s i g n c o u n s e l t o d e f e n d him." Waiver o f t h i s r i g h t i s a l l o w a b l e u n d e r s e c t i o n 46-8-102, MCA, which s t a t e s t h a t : "A d e f e n d a n t may w a i v e h i s r i g h t t o c o u n s e l , e x c e p t t h a t i n a l l f e l o n y c a s e s where t h e d e f e n d a n t i s under 18 y e a r s of age, t h e defendant s h a l l be r e p r e s e n t e d by c o u n s e l a t e v e r y s t a g e o f t h e p r o c e e d i n g s f o l l o w i n g t h e f i l i n g of a p e t i t i o n u n d e r 41-5-501." No e x p r e s s s t a t u t o r y g u i d e l i n e s e x i s t i n t h i s s t a t u t e d e l i n e a t i n g an e f f e c t i v e waiver. t o c o n s t i t u t e an e f f e c t i v e waiver, t e l l i g e n t l y and knowingly g i v e n . Mont. 493, 498, 444 P.2d 861, 863. This Court has held t h a t t h e w a i v e r must b e i n S t a t e v . Schenk ( 1 9 6 8 ) , 1 5 1 I n determining whether t h e w a i v e r was i n t e l l i g e n t l y g i v e n , a c o u r t must l o o k a t t h e p a r t i c u l a r f a c t s of each c a s e , a s w e l l a s t h e background, e x p e r i e n c e and c o n d u c t o f t h e d e f e n d a n t . I n Re Jones' Peti- t i o n ( 1 9 6 3 ) , 1 4 3 Mont. 1 9 , 2 3 , 386 P.2d 747, 750. These a r e t h e s t a n d a r d s a j u s t i c e o r m u n i c i p a l c o u r t i s g o v e r n e d by i n accepting o r r e j e c t i n g a waiver of counsel. However, a n e x a m i n a t i o n o f t h e Youth C o u r t A c t p r o v i s i o n e s t a b l i s h i n g r i g h t t o c o u n s e l and w a i v e r t h e r e o f d i s c l o s e s a marked d i f f e r e n c e from t h e above j u s t i c e and m u n i c i p a l c o u r t provisions. S e c t i o n 41-5-511, MCA, provides that: " I n a l l p r o c e e d i n g s f o l l o w i n g t h e f i l i n g of a p e t i t i o n a l l e g i n g a delinquent youth o r youth i n need of s u p e r v i s i o n , t h e y o u t h and t h e p a r e n t s o r g u a r d i a n o f t h e y o u t h s h a l l b e a d v i s e d by t h e c o u r t o r , i n t h e a b s e n c e of t h e c o u r t , by i t s r e p r e s e n t a t i v e t h a t t h e y o u t h may b e r e p r e s e n t e d by c o u n s e l a t a l l s t a g e s of t h e p r o c e e d i n g s . If i s no or i f it c o u n s e l - -t r e t a i n e d - - - a p p e a r s t h a t c o u n s e l w i l-n o t b e r e t a i n e d , c o u n s e l s h a l l b e - l appointed - - youth u n l e s s t h e r i g h t t o for the a p p o i n t e d c o u n s e l i s waived - -e y o u t h - by t h and t h e p a r e n t s o r guardian. Neither t h e youth nor h i s p a r e n t o r g u a r d i a n may w a i v e c o u n s e l a f t e r a p e t i t i o n h a s been f i l e d i f commitment t o a s t a t e c o r r e c t i o n a l f a c i l i t y o r t o t h e department of i n s t i t u t i o n s f o r a p e r i o d of more t h a n 6 months may r e s u l t from a d j u d i c a t i o n . " (Emphasis a d d e d . ) p - Under t h i s s e c t i o n a n e x p r e s s p r o v i s i o n g o v e r n i n g t h e w a i v e r of t h e r i g h t t o c o u n s e l i s i n c l u d e d w i t h i n t h e s t a t u t e . T h i s s t a t u t e r e q u i r e s n o t o n l y w a i v e r by t h e y o u t h -but also by t h or - -e p a r e n t s - g u a r d i a n o f t h e y o u t h . Therefore, i n y o u t h c o u r t , a w a i v e r m u s t b e i n t e l l i g e n t l y and u n d e r s t a n d i n g l y g i v e n by b o t h minor and p a r e n t o r g u a r d i a n . When a c o u n t y a t t o r n e y c h o o s e s t o a l l o w i l l e g a l p o s s e s s i o n of a l c o h o l v i o l a t i o n s t o be heard i n j u s t i c e o r municipal c o u r t s , h i s a c t i o n s t r i p s a minor of a n a d d i t i o n a l p r o t e c t i o n o r s a f e g u a r d which t h e l e g i s l a t u r e e x p r e s s l y g r a n t e d t o s u c h m i n o r s , i . e . , w a i v e r by t h e p a r e n t s o r g u a r d i a n . 41-5-102, MCA, Section declares that: "The Montana Youth C o u r t A c t s h a l l b e i n t e r p r e t e d and c o n s t r u e d t o e f f e c t u a t e t h e f o l l o w i n g e x p r e s s l e g i s l a t i v e purposes: " ( 4 ) t o p r o v i d e j u d i c i a l p r o c e d u r e s i n which t h e p a r t i e s a r e a s s u r e d a f a i r h e a r i n g and r e c o g n i t i o n and e n f o r c e m e n t of t h e i r c o n s t i t u t i o n a l and s t a t u t o r y rights. " One of t h e e x p r e s s j u d i c i a l p r o c e d u r e s a d o p t e d by t h e l e g i s l a t u r e t o e f f e c t t h i s purpose was t h e a d d i t i o n a l r e q u i r e m e n t of p a r e n t a l waiver of t h e y o u t h ' s r i g h t t o c o u n s e l . Surely t h e l e g i s l a t u r e d i d n o t intend t o g r a n t a j u d i c i a l safeguard t o minors i n one j u d i c i a l s e t t i n g and t h e n p r e c l u d e t h e a p p l i c a t i o n of such s a f e g u a r d f o r t h e same c r i m e c h a r g e d i n a d i f f e r e n t forum. Yet t h i s would be t h e r e s u l t i f t h i s C o u r t r e f u s e d t o r e q u i r e p a r e n t a l waiver of t h e r i g h t t o counsel i n j u s t i c e o r municipal c o u r t s regarding i l l e g a l p o s s e s s i o n of a l c o h o l v i o l a t i o n s . The c o n c u r r e n t j u r i s d i c t i o n of j u s t i c e and m u n i c i p a l c o u r t s w i t h y o u t h c o u r t s of i l l e g a l p o s s e s s i o n of a l c o h o l v i o l a t i o n s c r e a t e s a s i t u a t i o n whereby a c o u n t y a t t o r n e y h a s t h e power t o d e t e r m i n e a m i n o r ' s r i g h t s . Such a s i t u a t i o n i s u n t e n a b l e i n l i g h t of t h e e x p r e s s p u r p o s e s of t h e Youth Court A c t . T h e r e f o r e , w e h o l d t h a t t h e w a i v e r of r i g h t t o c o u n s e l by William i n t h e c a s e a t b a r w a s i n e f f e c t i v e . P a r e n t a l waiver i s necessary i n j u s t i c e o r municipal c o u r t s where t h e y o u t h c o u r t h a s c o n c u r r e n t j u r i s d i c t i o n . I t i s hereby o r d e r e d t h a t t h e w r i t of habeas c o r p u s be issued. The d e f e n d a n t ' s p l e a i s v a c a t e d and t h e c a u s e re- manded t o j u s t i c e c o u r t f o r p r o c e e d i n g i n a c c o r d a n c e w i t h t h i s opinion.

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