Commonwealth v. Vibbert

397 S.W.3d 910, 2013 WL 1488990, 2013 Ky. App. LEXIS 60
CourtCourt of Appeals of Kentucky
DecidedApril 12, 2013
DocketNo. 2012-CA-000231-MR
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 397 S.W.3d 910 (Commonwealth v. Vibbert) 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
Commonwealth v. Vibbert, 397 S.W.3d 910, 2013 WL 1488990, 2013 Ky. App. LEXIS 60 (Ky. Ct. App. 2013).

Opinions

OPINION

DIXON, Judge:

Appellant, the Commonwealth of Kentucky, appeals from an order of the Barren Circuit Court dismissing an indictment against Appellee, Latisha Vibbert, for first-degree possession of a controlled substance, a Class D felony. For the reasons set forth herein, we reverse and remand this matter for further proceedings.

Vibbert was arrested on August 8, 2011, and charged with possession of a controlled substance, methamphetamine. In September 2011, Vibbert and the Barren County Attorney negotiated an agreement pursuant to Kentucky Revised Statutes (KRS) 218A.14151, which was approved by the Barren District Court, whereby she would participate in the ‘You Turn Deferred Prosecution” program and, upon successful completion of the program, the possession charge would be dismissed. Nevertheless, on October 20, 2011, a Barren County Grand Jury indicted her for the same offense that resulted in the deferred prosecution in the district court. Vibbert thereafter filed a motion in the Barren Circuit Court to dismiss the indictment. The circuit court granted the motion, holding:

The agreement made by the Commonwealth in district court to defer prosecution and approved by the District Judge is binding on the Commonwealth. This Court is mindful of the provisions of House Bill 468 and the public policy established by the Kentucky General Assembly therein. The public policy of the Commonwealth is to address substance abuse issues sooner rather than later and deferred prosecution is part of that effort.

[913]*913The Commonwealth thereafter appealed to this Court.

The Commonwealth argues on appeal that deferred prosecution as provided for in KRS 218A.14151 can only be entered into between a defendant and a Commonwealth’s attorney, and is solely within the jurisdiction of the circuit court. Accordingly, it is the Commonwealth’s position that since the district court herein had no authority to approve the agreement at issue, the subsequent indictment was appropriate. Vibbert responds that either a county or Commonwealth’s attorney is authorized under KRS 218A.14151 to negotiate a deferred prosecution agreement, and that such is within the jurisdiction of the district court. Further, Vibbert maintains that public policy demands that the Commonwealth abide by the agreement it negotiated. We must disagree.

As a preliminary matter, Vibbert argues that the Commonwealth did not raise the scope and authority of KRS 218A. 14151 in the circuit court and, thus, has not preserved this issue for appellate review. However, whether the district court can approve a deferred prosecution agreement concerns subject matter jurisdiction. “[S]ince subject matter jurisdiction concerns the very nature and origins of a court’s power “ ‘to do anything at all[,]’ ” it “ ‘cannot be born of waiver, consent or estoppel[,]’ ” and may be raised at any time.” Hisle v. Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government, 258 S.W.8d 422, 430-81 (Ky.App.2008) (citations omitted). See also Commonwealth Health Corp. v. Croslin, 920 S.W.2d 46, 47 (Ky.1996). Furthermore, it is well established that a judgment entered by a court without subject matter jurisdiction is void. Id. at 48.

KRS 218A.14151, enacted in 2011 as part of the Correction Reform Bill HB 463, provides:

(1) A defendant charged with his or her first or second offense under KRS 218A.1415 may enter a deferred prosecution program subject to the following provisions:
(a) The defendant requests deferred prosecution in writing on an application created under KRS 27A.099, and the prosecutor agrees;
(b) The defendant shall not be required to plead guilty or enter an Alford plea as a condition of applying for participation in the deferred prosecution program;
(c) The defendant agrees to the terms and conditions set forth by the Com- - monwealth’s attorney and approved by the court, which may include any provision authorized for pretrial diversion pursuant to KRS 533.250(l)(h) and (2); and
(d) The maximum length of participation in the program shall be two (2) years.
(2) If a prosecutor denies a defendant’s request to enter a deferred prosecution program, the prosecutor shall state on the record the substantial and compelling reasons why the defendant cannot be safely and effectively supervised in the community, is not amenable to community-based treatment, or poses a significant risk to public safety.
(3) If the defendant successfully completes the deferred prosecution program, the charges against the defendant shall be dismissed, and all records relating to the case, including but not limited to arrest records and records relating to the charges, shall be sealed, except as provided in KRS 27A.099. The offense shall be deemed never to have occurred, except for the purposes of determining the defendant’s eligibility for deferred prosecution under .this section or voiding [914]*914of the conviction under KRS 218A.275, and the defendant shall not be required to disclose the arrest or other information relating to the charges or participation in the program unless required to do so by state or federal law.
(4) If the defendant is charged with violating the conditions of the program, the court, upon motion of the Commonwealth’s attorney, shall hold a hearing to determine whether the defendant violated the conditions of the program.
(5) If the court finds that the defendant violated the conditions of the program, the court may, with the approval of the prosecutor:
(a) Continue the defendant’s participation in the program;
(b) Change the terms and conditions of the defendant’s participation in the program; or
(c) Order the defendant removed from the program and proceed with ordinary prosecution for the offense charged.

Vibbert asserts that the statute’s interchange of the terms “Commonwealth’s attorney” and “prosecutor” is evidence of the legislature’s intent to include both Commonwealth’s attorneys and county attorneys within the scope of the statute.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
397 S.W.3d 910, 2013 WL 1488990, 2013 Ky. App. LEXIS 60, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/commonwealth-v-vibbert-kyctapp-2013.