A.S. v. Commonwealth

474 S.W.3d 555, 2015 Ky. App. LEXIS 150, 2015 WL 6559208
CourtCourt of Appeals of Kentucky
DecidedOctober 30, 2015
DocketNO. 2014-CA-002095-ME
StatusPublished

This text of 474 S.W.3d 555 (A.S. v. Commonwealth) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Kentucky primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
A.S. v. Commonwealth, 474 S.W.3d 555, 2015 Ky. App. LEXIS 150, 2015 WL 6559208 (Ky. Ct. App. 2015).

Opinion

OPINION

KRAMER, JUDGE:

A.S.,1 a female juvenile, appeals the Boyle Circuit Court’s order committing her to the custody of the Cabinet for Health and Family Services (Cabinet) as being beyond control.2 After a careful review of the record, we reverse and remand because AS. was not notified that she was charged with being beyond control; the circuit court violated A.S.’s right to present a defense and cross-examine witnesses; and the disclosure of AS.’s medical records was in error.

I. FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND

A petition was filed against A.S. for habitual truancy in April 2014. She was fifteen years old at the time. It was alleged in an affidavit filed with the petition that AS. had eleven unexcused absences and two tardies that school year. The [557]*557Commonwealth requested a formal hearing.

A week and a half after the petition was filed, a hearing was held. The circuit court entered a Juvenile Status Offender Order, which stated that A.S. had appeared at the hearing with counsel and that A.S. was ordered as follows: ,(1), to,not leave her home, without custodial permission; (2) to obey all pules of her home, including a curfew between 8:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m.; (3) to attend all school sessions on time and have no unexcused absences or behavior problems at school; (4) to not violate the law; (5) to not consume, use or possess any alcoholic beverages, tobacco products or illegal drugs; (6) to submit to random drug testing; and (7) to cooperate fully with the Cabinet’s service providers.

Two months later, A.S. signed an admission, in which she admitted to habitual truancy and contempt. Her admission stated, inter alia, that she was represented by counsel.

A dependency, neglect or abuse disposi-tional report was entered in October 2014, in which the court adopted the Cabinet’s recommendations. Those recommendations included: (1) AS.’s father should retain custody of Á.S.; (2) A.S. should. continue drug screens and attend school; (3) A.S.’s father would be responsible for calling in daily to the Department for Community Based Services for A.S.’s daily drug screens; (4) A.S. should give the school a doctor’s excuse for any day she misses; (5) the family would cooperatively work, with any health/mental care provider; and (6) the court should consider scheduling a review hearing in about forty-five days.

On December 12, 2014 and December 15, 2014, subpoenas were filed in the circuit court by the Commonwealth, which had been issued to, .Springview Hospital/Springview Clinic -and Danville Pediatrics, respectively, requesting them to appear at the Boyle County Attorney’s Office to produce A.S.’s certified medical records. The Assistant Boyle County Attorney was the attorney who requested this information.

A review hearing was held on December 15, 2014. During that hearing, the Commonwealth revealed that it had obtained A.S.’s medical records through issuing subpoenas and that those records revealed that A.S. had twice been treated for Chlamydia, a sexually transmitted disease.3 A Cabinet worker was the only person called by the Commonwealth to' testify during the hearing. The Commonwealth informed the court that it had other witnesses it could call, but the court' just asked the Commonwealth for a' summary of what' those'witnesses were going to testify to, and the' Commonwealth told the court what the substance of those witnesses’ testimony would be. The court did not make the Commonwealth call those witnesses to testify (including at least one witness from the school to testify about AS.’s unexcused absences). The court- asked the Cabinet worker if she knew what the risks of Chlamydia were, and she responded that she did. The child’s attorney questioned the Cabinet worker’s qualifications for testifying about the dangers of having Chlamydia,- and the Cabinet worker responded that she .was familiar .with. the. disease because she had been a receptionist in a gynecologist’s office for. five years. The court then looked up the disease on the Centers for Disease Control’s website and read information about the disease into the record, including its risks. At the eonclu[558]*558sion- of the hearing, the court found that A.S. was “beyond control” and committed her to the Cabinet’s care.

A.S. now appeals, contending that: (1) her commitment to the Cabinet must be vacated because she was never charged with being beyond control; (2) the circuit court erred when it did not allow her to present a defense and cross-examine -witnesses against her on a beyond control, charge; and (3) her medical records were disclosed without her authorization. - The Commonwealth did not file an appellate-brief in this case. ' ' "

II. ANALYSIS

A. BEYOND CONTROL CHARGE

A.S. first alleges that her commitment to the Cabinet must be vacated because she was never charged with being beyond control. Because the Commonwealth did not file an appellee’s brief in this case, we may: (1) “accept the appellant’s statement of the facts and issues as correct;” (2) “reverse the judgment if appellant’s brief reasonably appears to sustain such action; or” (3) “regard the appel-lee’s failure as a confession of error and. reverse the judgment without considering the merits - of the case.” CR4 76;12(8)(c). We regard the Commonwealth’s failure to file as a confession of error.

Nevertheless, in an abundance of caution, we note that the- record patently suggests a reversal. Upon review of'the record before us, we conclude that A.S. was never charged with beyond control, despite being found by the court to be beyond control and committed to the Cabinet as a result. In Commonwealth v. B.J., 241 S.W.3d 324 (Ky. 2007), the Kentucky Supreme Court noted that status offenses “are neither criminal nor delinquent.” B.J., 241 S.W.3d at 327. The Court continued, noting that proceedings against a child for a status offense may

“result in severe consequences to that child.” T.D. v. Commonwealth, 165 S.W.3d 480, 483 (Ky. App. 2005).
In light of these potentially severe consequences to the child, due process must be afforded, despite the non-criminal nature of juvenile proceedings. “[Wjhere the-fault of the child is at issue and penalties, including loss of liberty, may attach, criminal protections provided by the constitution apply.” Id.

B.J., 241 S.W.3d at 327. Included in these due process protections is the right for the juvenile to be notified of the charges against her before adjudication, so that she can prepare and defend against the charges. See K.F. v. Commonwealth, 274 S.W.3d 457, 459 (Ky. App. 2008).

In the present case, because A.S. was' not notified that she was charged with beyond control, her due process rights were violated. Therefore, the circuit court’s decision must be reversed.

B. PRESENTING A DEFENSE

A.S. next asserts that the circuit court erred when it did not allow her to present a defense and cross-examine witnesses against her on a beyond control charge. Because A.S.

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Related

T.D. v. Commonwealth
165 S.W.3d 480 (Court of Appeals of Kentucky, 2005)
Commonwealth v. B.J.
241 S.W.3d 324 (Kentucky Supreme Court, 2007)
K.F. v. Commonwealth
274 S.W.3d 457 (Court of Appeals of Kentucky, 2008)
Caldwell v. Chauvin
464 S.W.3d 139 (Kentucky Supreme Court, 2015)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
474 S.W.3d 555, 2015 Ky. App. LEXIS 150, 2015 WL 6559208, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/as-v-commonwealth-kyctapp-2015.