City of Dodge City v. Anderson

886 P.2d 901, 20 Kan. App. 2d 272, 1994 Kan. App. LEXIS 139
CourtCourt of Appeals of Kansas
DecidedDecember 16, 1994
DocketNo. 70,623
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 886 P.2d 901 (City of Dodge City v. Anderson) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Kansas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
City of Dodge City v. Anderson, 886 P.2d 901, 20 Kan. App. 2d 272, 1994 Kan. App. LEXIS 139 (kanctapp 1994).

Opinion

Lyle, J.:

Mark Anderson appeals from a decision of the district court finding him guilty of driving while under the influence. He argues that the district court abused its discretion in fining him more than the minimum amount, ordering him to reimburse the City of Dodge City and the State of Kansas for money spent in his defense, and denying his motion for a new trial.

The facts of this case are irrelevant to the issues presented and will not be repeated in this opinion.

The first issue Anderson raises is whether the district court abused its discretion in assessing more than the minimum fines for his offenses. According to Anderson, the district court failed [273]*273to take into account Anderson’s financial resources or the burden that the fines would place on him.

Generally, a sentence imposed within the statutory guidelines will not be disturbed on appeal if it is within the trial court’s discretion and not a result of partiality, prejudice, oppression, or corrupt motive. State v. Turner, 252 Kan. 666, 668, 847 P.2d 1286 (1993). However, K.S.A. 21-4607(3) provides that in determining the amount and method of payment of a fine, the court shall take into account the financial resources of the defendant and the nature of the burden the fine imposes. In State v. Scherer, 11 Kan. App. 2d 362, 370-372, 721 P.2d 743, rev. denied 240 Kan. 806 (1986), this court found an abuse of discretion when the district court did not consider the ability of the defendant to pay when levying a fine. See State v. Shuster, 17 Kan. App. 2d 8, 10, 829 P.2d 925 (1992).

The State argues that 21-4607 is inapplicable to this case because Anderson was convicted of a violation of a municipal ordinance rather than a state statute. However, in Scherer,, the fine was also levied for a violation of a municipal ordinance. 11 Kan. App. 2d at 368. Furthermore, the municipal ordinance in question mirrors K.S.A. 1990 Supp. 8-1567. Therefore, this argument is without merit.

The question thus becomes whether the district court considered Anderson’s financial resources and the burden the fine would impose. The district court did ask if Anderson was employed. However, the court made no further inquiry into Anderson’s financial status but instead simply imposed the same fine the municipal court had earlier handed down. The court’s failure to consider the factors mandated by K.S.A. 21-4607 constitutes an abuse of discretion, the fine is vacated, and the matter is remanded for reconsideration of the issue in light of Anderson’s financial status.

Anderson, an indigent defendant, was represented by a court-appointed attorney. He argues that the district court erred in ordering him to repay the City and the State of Kansas for money spent on his defense. He argues that the court had no jurisdiction to impose such a sentence and, therefore, the sentence is illegal.

[274]*274This question involves the interpretation of several statutes. The interpretation of a statute is a question of law. State v. Donlay, 253 Kan. 132, Syl. ¶ 1, 853 P.2d 680 (1993).

K.S.A. 1993 Supp. 21-4610(c) authorizes the district court to require a defendant to reimburse the state general fund for expenditures by the State Board of Indigents’ Defense Services on a defendant’s behalf as a condition of probation. However, K.S.A. 12-4509 does not provide such an authorization for a municipal court. Further, the district court in this case did not require the repayment of attorney fees as a condition of probation but rather simply ordered Anderson to pay the fees in addition to the fine.

It has been stated that a district court judge hearing a case on appeal from a municipal court sits as a municipal court judge. City of Overland Park v. Estell & McDiffett, 225 Kan. 599, 603, 592 P.2d 909 (1979). If a municipal court has no authority to order the repayment of the attorney fees, neither does the district court on an appeal of this nature.

The State argues that the attorney fees were properly awarded as an element of costs. K.S.A. 22-3611 provides that if on appeal to the district court the defendant is convicted, the district court shall impose sentence and render judgment against the defendant for all costs in the case, both in the district court and the court appealed from. However, there is a question whether attorney fees for indigent defendants qualify as costs.

Criminal statutes are required to be construed strictly against the State. State v. JC Sports Bar, Inc., 253 Kan. 815, 818, 861 P.2d 1334 (1993). Generally, when attorney fees are to be included as part of costs, the statute authorizing recovery of costs explicitly includes them. See, e.g., K.S.A. 1993 Supp. 61-2709(a) (stating that if an appeal is taken to the district court from the small claims court and is determined adversely to the appellant, “the court shall award to the appellee, as part of the costs, reasonable attorney fees incurred by the appellee on appeal”); K.S.A. 1993 Supp. 60-1610(b)(4) (providing that costs and attorney fees may be awarded in a divorce action); K.S.A. 1993 Supp. 60-2006(a) (providing that in actions brought for the recovery of damages as a result of negligent operation of a motor vehicle, the [275]*275prevailing party “shall be allowed reasonable attorneys’ fees which shall be taxed as part of the costs of the action”). The fact that the legislature chose not to specifically include attorney fees when referring to costs of the action is an indication that the costs which the defendant is obliged to pay do not include repayment of his attorney fees. This is a matter that needs to be addressed by the legislature. The presiding court should be able to assess attorney fees as part of the costs in this action after making the appropriate inquiry into the defendant’s ability to pay. The repayment of fees should then become a condition of probation.

Because K.S.A. 22-3611

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
886 P.2d 901, 20 Kan. App. 2d 272, 1994 Kan. App. LEXIS 139, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/city-of-dodge-city-v-anderson-kanctapp-1994.