City of Kalispell v. Salsgiver

2019 MT 126, 443 P.3d 504, 396 Mont. 57
CourtMontana Supreme Court
DecidedJune 4, 2019
DocketDA 16-0445
StatusPublished
Cited by14 cases

This text of 2019 MT 126 (City of Kalispell v. Salsgiver) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Montana Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
City of Kalispell v. Salsgiver, 2019 MT 126, 443 P.3d 504, 396 Mont. 57 (Mo. 2019).

Opinions

Justice James Jeremiah Shea delivered the Opinion of the Court.

*508**61¶1 Appellant Thomas Scott Salsgiver appeals the Order of the Eleventh Judicial District Court, Flathead County, affirming the decision and sentence of the Kalispell Municipal Court finding Salsgiver guilty of partner or family member assault (PFMA), in violation of § 45-5-206, MCA, and criminal mischief, in violation of § 45-6-101, MCA.

¶2 We address the following issues on appeal:

Issue One: Whether the District Court erred by affirming the Municipal Court's Order that Salsgiver waived his right to a jury trial by failing to appear at an omnibus hearing.
Issue Two: Whether certain provisions in Salsgiver's sentencing agreement requiring him to pay fines that were not statutorily authorized are valid and legal.
Issue Three: Whether Salsgiver is entitled to receive four days of credit for jail time served, instead of two days of credit, against his sentence.

¶3 We affirm in part, reverse in part, and remand for further proceedings consistent with this Opinion.

PROCEDURAL AND FACTUAL BACKGROUND

¶4 On March 17, 2015, the City of Kalispell (City) charged Salsgiver in Kalispell Municipal Court with PFMA and criminal mischief. On March 18, 2015, Salsgiver appeared for a video arraignment. Salsgiver pled not guilty to the charged offenses and was released on his own recognizance. As a condition of his release, Salsgiver was ordered to personally appear for all court proceedings and was warned that failing **62to appear would result in a waiver of jury trial. The Municipal Court also informed Salsgiver that his next scheduled court hearing would be an omnibus hearing to take place on May 5, 2015. Salsgiver signed an acknowledgement of his conditions of release.

¶5 On March 23, 2015, the Municipal Court issued a Notice of Omnibus. The Notice of Omnibus reiterated that Salsgiver's personal presence was required and that failure to appear would result in a waiver of jury trial.1 On May 5, 2015, Salsgiver did not appear for the omnibus hearing, but Salsgiver's defense counsel did appear. During the omnibus hearing, the Municipal Court found that Salsgiver waived his right to a jury trial due to his failure to personally appear. The Municipal Court set a bench trial for July 9, 2015, and issued a bench warrant for Salsgiver due to his failure to appear.

¶6 On October 15, 2015, Salsgiver was arrested and taken into custody. On October 16, 2015, Salsgiver was arraigned and again released on his own recognizance. The Municipal Court informed Salsgiver his bench trial would take place on November 12, 2015. On October 28, 2015, Salsgiver's defense counsel filed a Motion for a Jury Trial. On November 10, 2015, the Municipal Court denied the Motion, deeming the matter waived due to Salsgiver's failure to appear at the omnibus hearing.

¶7 On November 12, 2015, Salsgiver appeared with his defense counsel at the bench trial. Salsgiver's defense counsel noted Salsgiver's *509continuing objection to the Municipal Court's finding that Salsgiver waived his right to a jury trial. At the conclusion of trial, Salsgiver was found guilty of PFMA and criminal mischief.

¶8 On the PFMA charge, the Municipal Court sentenced Salsgiver to 364 days of incarceration, with 362 days suspended, and gave him credit against his sentence for two days of time served in jail. The Municipal Court also ordered him to pay $ 300. On the criminal mischief charge, the Municipal Court sentenced Salsgiver to a 180-day suspended jail sentence, and imposed fines, fees, and surcharges in the amount of $ 400, including an additional $ 10 witness fee and $ 20 in court costs.

¶9 After Salsgiver indicated he could not pay the fine amount in full **63within thirty days, the Municipal Court allowed Salsgiver to pay his fines, costs, and surcharges in installments in a signed written agreement, subject to an additional $ 10 contract fee.2 The Municipal Court informed Salsgiver he had to make minimum payments of $ 25 per month and explained that Salsgiver would be charged a ten-percent annual interest rate on the unpaid principal balance until paid in full. An additional provision in the written agreement, but missing from the oral pronouncement of sentence, provided that "[a]ll payments are due on a monthly basis and no monthly prepayments are allowed unless authorized ...."

¶10 On November 18, 2015, Salsgiver appealed his conviction to the Flathead County District Court, challenging the denial of his Motion for a Jury Trial. On June 13, 2016, the District Court affirmed the Municipal Court's decision, determining that Salsgiver validly waived his right to a jury trial under Article II, Section 26 of the Montana Constitution and under the Sixth and Fourteenth Amendments of the United States Constitution. Salsgiver appeals the District Court's Order.

STANDARD OF REVIEW

¶11 We review decisions by a district court acting as an appellate court as if originally appealed to this Court. City of Missoula v. Girard , 2013 MT 168, ¶ 9, 370 Mont. 443, 303 P.3d 1283 (citing City of Bozeman v. Cantu , 2013 MT 40, ¶ 10, 369 Mont. 81, 296 P.3d 461 ). We examine the municipal court record independently of the district court's decision, applying the appropriate standard of review to our own examination of the record. Girard , ¶ 9 (citing Cantu , ¶ 10 ). We review de novo a lower court's conclusions of law and interpretations of the Constitution. Girard , ¶ 10 (citing State v. Trier , 2012 MT 99, ¶ 10, 365 Mont. 46, 277 P.3d 1230 ;

**64City of Missoula v. Cox , 2008 MT 364, ¶ 5, 346 Mont. 422,

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

State v. C. Horn
Montana Supreme Court, 2026
State v. N. Cole
2026 MT 52 (Montana Supreme Court, 2026)
State v. D. Matt
2026 MT 31 (Montana Supreme Court, 2026)
State v. J. Pettit
2025 MT 283N (Montana Supreme Court, 2025)
City of Hardin v. A. Anthony
2025 MT 256 (Montana Supreme Court, 2025)
City of Missoula v. S. Charlie
2025 MT 85 (Montana Supreme Court, 2025)
State v. B. Hillious
2025 MT 53 (Montana Supreme Court, 2025)
State v. L. Hogues
2024 MT 304 (Montana Supreme Court, 2024)
City of Whitefish v. Curran
2023 MT 118 (Montana Supreme Court, 2023)
Rios, Saul Ranulfo Herrera
Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas, 2022
State v. R. Soria
2022 MT 117N (Montana Supreme Court, 2022)
State v. T.Thibeault
2021 MT 162 (Montana Supreme Court, 2021)
City of Great Falls v. Polich
2021 MT 111N (Montana Supreme Court, 2021)
City of Great Falls v. C. Snider
2020 MT 274N (Montana Supreme Court, 2020)
State v. A. Boose
2020 MT 85N (Montana Supreme Court, 2020)
State v. J. Mitchell
2020 MT 68N (Montana Supreme Court, 2020)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
2019 MT 126, 443 P.3d 504, 396 Mont. 57, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/city-of-kalispell-v-salsgiver-mont-2019.