State v. Harwood

• Decision Date: 29 December 1977
• Docket Number: No. 12497,12497
• Citation: 98 Idaho 793,572 P.2d 1228
• Parties: STATE of Idaho, Plaintiff-Respondent, v. Thomas J. HARWOOD, Defendant-Appellant.
• Court: Idaho Supreme Court

Page 1228

572 P.2d 1228

98 Idaho 793

STATE of Idaho, Plaintiff-Respondent, v. Thomas J. HARWOOD, Defendant-Appellant.

No. 12497.

Supreme Court of Idaho.

Dec. 29, 1977.

Stephen B. McCrea, Coeur d'Alene, for defendant-appellant.

Wayne L. Kidwell, Atty. Gen., James F. Kile, Asst. Atty. Gen., Boise, for plaintiff-respondent. SHEPARD, Justice.

Appellant upon a plea of guilty was convicted of burglary in the second degree and sentenced to the maximum term of five years therefor. I.C. § 18-1403. At the time of the burglary appellant was 17 years of age and, therefore, within the purview of the Youth Rehabilitation Act. I.C. § 16-1801 et seq. However, following petition, hearing and findings in and by the magistrate's division of the district court, an order was entered waiving juvenile jurisdiction. I.C. §§ 16-1806; 18-216.

Appellant asserts error in the admission of hearsay testimony at the hearing held on the petition for waiver of juvenile jurisdiction and although appellant's then counsel did not object, appellant's counsel would now have this Court hold the admission of such testimony as error under the fundamental error doctrine. State v. White, 97 Idaho 708, 551 P.2d 1344, cert. denied, 429 U.S. 842, 97 S.Ct. 118, 50 L.Ed.2d 111 (1976). Appellant also argues that under the standards of State v. Gibbs, 94 Idaho 908, 500 P.2d 209 (1972), the findings entered by the magistrate following the waiver hearing were inadequate to support the waiver order. Lastly, error is assigned to the alleged abuse of discretion by the trial court in imposing a maximum sentence.

We note, initially, that appellant did not seek an immediate review of the juvenile jurisdiction waiver order. Rather, review of that order is now sought in connection with appellant's direct appeal from his conviction in the district court. Prior to reaching the merits of the claim that the waiver order was improper, we must determine if the order waiving juvenile jurisdiction can be reviewed by way of direct appeal from the conviction and sentence. We hold the procedure utilized here to be improper.

On the occasion of In re Doe, 98 Idaho 40, 557 P.2d 634 (1976), we held that a juvenile adjudication withholding judgment and placing the juvenile on probation for six months was appealable pursuant to I.C. § 16-1819 even though it was not a final order in the traditional sense. See also State v. Gibbs, supra; Hayes v. Gardner, 95 Idaho 137, 504 P.2d 810 (1972). Those decisions, however, did not reach the question of whether an order waiving juvenile jurisdiction could be reviewed on direct appeal from a subsequent conviction in an adult court.

That problem, however, was addressed in People v. Chi Ko Wong, 18 Cal.3d 698, 135 Cal.Rptr. 392, 557 P.2d 976 (1976). In California, as in Idaho, juvenile jurisdiction and adult criminal jurisdiction are mutually exclusive. State v. Gibbs, supra. The California court held that practical considerations demand that a juvenile court waiver order not be reviewed on appeal from a criminal judgment of conviction, stating:

"To allow a defendant who has been convicted in the superior court to question on appeal the propriety of the juvenile court's finding would afford him an opportunity to secure a reversal of a judgment of conviction even though he was found guilty after an errorless trial. Such a defendant should not be allowed to silently speculate on a favorable verdict and then after an adverse judgment is entered proclaim that the juvenile court's finding was erroneous. Moreover, it is in the accused's best interest to seek immediate relief from an improper finding in the juvenile court so he may be spared the burden and public scrutiny associated with a criminal trial. Additionally, the delay inherent in criminal prosecutions may substantially prejudice a juvenile court reconsideration of its prior finding of unfitness should the cause be remanded after a review of criminal proceedings." 18 Cal.3d at 712, 135 Cal.Rptr. 401, 557 P.2d at 985 (citation and footnote omitted).

We find the reasoning of the California court to be persuasive and hold that a review of the juvenile jurisdiction waiver issue must be sought before the charges as an adult have proceeded to trial. ¹ Further since substantial rights of a juvenile may be lost by a waiver proceeding it constitutes a critical stage in the proceedings, Kent v. United States, 383 U.S. 541, 86 S.Ct. 1045, 16 L.Ed.2d 84 (1966), the right to an immediate appeal from the waiver order is evident.

Appellant argues that, nevertheless, any defect in the proceedings leading to the waiver order is jurisdictional and, therefore, such defect deprives the district criminal court of any jurisdiction to render a judgment of conviction. We do not agree and again adopt the reasoning of People v. Chi Ko Wong, supra, wherein it is stated:

"Such lack of jurisdiction has been asserted to invalidate an ensuing judgment of conviction. The jurisdictional problem is akin to that resulting from a defective commitment which, if subjected to a timely and proper attack, is deemed to fail to confer jurisdiction on the superior court to entertain criminal proceedings. In such an instance, however, the commitment is only voidable and unless voided by a proper and timely attack the court is not divested of jurisdiction to proceed against the accused. We deem the problem resulting from a defective order of (waiver) by a juvenile court to pose a similar jurisdictional bar which may be similarly hurdled if the defect is not properly and timely challenged. The right to assert such a challenge to an order of certification, which order purports to confer on the superior court the right to take personal jurisdiction over a juvenile may be estopped or lost by waiver when, as here, no public policy is offended." 18 Cal.3d at 713, 135 Cal.Rptr. at 401-02, 557 P.2d at 985-86 (citations omitted).

An order waiving juvenile jurisdiction constitutes a final order of the magistrate's division of the district court sitting as a juvenile court. I.C. § 16-1819. Compare In re Doe, supra. At that time the jurisdiction of the magistrate's division of the district court, sitting as a juvenile court, is extinguished and at the same time there is effected a transfer of jurisdiction to the district court sitting as an adult criminal court. I.C. §§ 16-1806, 18-216; Hayes v. Gardner, supra. To effectuate an appeal from the final order of the juvenile court waiving juvenile jurisdiction, review should be first sought and had in the district court and from that decision a direct appeal may be taken to this Court. Further proceedings in the adult court should be held in abeyance pending determination of that question and in those cases where proceedings in the adult court are not abated by the district court, this Court may be petitioned for an appropriate writ.

Appellant next asserts abuse of discretion by the district court when it sentenced him to the maximum term in the penitentiary, albeit he was a first...