Elliott v. Commonwealth

553 S.W.3d 207
CourtMissouri Court of Appeals
DecidedAugust 16, 2018
Docket2016-SC-000350-MR
StatusPublished
Cited by5 cases

This text of 553 S.W.3d 207 (Elliott v. Commonwealth) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Missouri Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Elliott v. Commonwealth, 553 S.W.3d 207 (Mo. Ct. App. 2018).

Opinion

OPINION OF THE COURT BY JUSTICE KELLER

This case is before the Court for a determination regarding the Bell Circuit Court's denial of Jack Franklin Elliott's (Elliott) motion to convert court costs to a jail term. After reviewing the record and applicable law, we affirm the imposition of court costs.

I. BACKGROUND.

Elliott was indicted in Bell County in 2010 on manufacturing methamphetamine, first offense, and controlled substance endangerment to a child, fourth degree. Elliott was later indicted in 2011 on manufacturing methamphetamine, first offense; three counts of controlled substance endangerment to a child, fourth degree; and persistent felony offender, second degree. Elliott pled guilty on both indictments and received ten and twenty-year sentences, respectively, to be served consecutively, totaling thirty years' imprisonment.1 The Bell Circuit Court entered its Judgment and Sentence Pursuant to Guilty Plea on May 7, 2012.

Although not delineated in Elliott's plea agreement, the circuit court also imposed court costs in the amount of $151.00 per indictment, totaling $302.00. The sentence provided that Elliott must pay these costs within 180 days of his release from prison. It was not until May 1, 2015 that Elliott contested the obligation to pay court costs. Elliott filed a motion to convert court costs to a definite jail term to run concurrently with an indeterminate felony sentence pursuant to Kentucky Revised Statute (KRS) 534.060. The Bell Circuit Court denied the motion, finding that KRS 534.060 only applied to fines, not court costs.

*210Elliott next filed a motion to waive or convert the court costs. The circuit court reiterated its basis for denial of the motion to convert court costs to jail time and additionally denied the motion to waive the court costs, noting the distinction between fines and court costs and Elliott's ability to contest court costs at sentencing and his failure to do so. The circuit court also noted that its judgment and sentence were final, and the court could not retroactively alter it.

Elliott appealed the denial of his motion and then filed a motion to proceed in forma pauperis on appeal. The circuit court granted the motion pursuant to KRS 453.190, for the limited purpose of evaluating, and reporting to the court, whether the appeal appeared to be a proceeding that a reasonable person with adequate means would be willing to bring at his or her own expense pursuant to KRS 31.110(2)(c). The Department of Public Advocacy (DPA) reviewed the case and determined that it was not an appeal that a reasonable person with adequate means would be willing to bring at his own expense and that Elliott had no further right to be represented by appointed counsel. The circuit court denied Elliott's motion to proceed in forma pauperis. This Court granted Elliott's motion for belated appeal.

II. STANDARD OF REVIEW.

"Kentucky statutory law affords trial courts immense discretion in setting criminal penalties." Howard v. Commonwealth, 496 S.W.3d 471, 475 (Ky. 2016). "[S]uch decisions are ultimately committed to the trial court's sound discretion," and "we review these rulings for an abuse of discretion." Id. "So we will not disturb the trial court's sentencing determination unless convinced that its decision was arbitrary, unreasonable, unfair, or unsupported by sound legal principles." Id. (internal quotations omitted). Further, we review the interpretation of a statute de novo, giving no deference to the courts below. Commonwealth v. Love, 334 S.W.3d 92, 93 (Ky. 2011).

III. ANALYSIS.

A. Court costs are mandatory in a criminal proceeding and will be waived or modified only upon a showing of "poor person" status.

Court costs in a criminal case are mandated by statute.

(1) Court costs for a criminal case in the Circuit Court shall be one hundred dollars ($100).
(2) The taxation of court costs against a defendant, upon conviction in a case, shall be mandatory and shall not be subject to probation, suspension, proration, deduction, or other form of nonimposition in the terms of a plea bargain or otherwise, unless the court finds that the defendant is a poor person as defined by KRS 453.190(2) and that he or she is unable to pay court costs and will be unable to pay the court costs in the foreseeable future.
(3) If the court finds the defendant does not meet the standard articulated in subsection (2) of this section and that the defendant is nonetheless unable to pay the full amount of the court costs, fees, or fines at the time of sentencing, then the court may establish an installment payment plan in accordance with KRS 534.020.

KRS 23A.205 (emphasis added).

Only in one situation is a defendant not responsible for such financial obligation: if the court finds the defendant to be a poor person. If the defendant is not a poor person but, nonetheless, cannot pay the costs at sentencing, the court has discretion in establishing a payment plan.

*211In Maynes v. Commonwealth, this Court distinguished between an indigent/needy defendant and a poor defendant. 361 S.W.3d 922, 928-29 (Ky. 2012). An indigent, or needy, defendant is one who is unable "to provide for the payment of an attorney and all other necessary expenses of representation." Id. at 929.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
553 S.W.3d 207, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/elliott-v-commonwealth-moctapp-2018.