F. v. Brown

306 S.W.3d 80, 2010 Ky. LEXIS 70, 2010 WL 997387
CourtKentucky Supreme Court
DecidedMarch 18, 2010
Docket2008-SC-000213-DG
StatusPublished
Cited by11 cases

This text of 306 S.W.3d 80 (F. v. Brown) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Kentucky Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
F. v. Brown, 306 S.W.3d 80, 2010 Ky. LEXIS 70, 2010 WL 997387 (Ky. 2010).

Opinion

Opinion of the Court by

Justice SCHRODER.

Appellants are juveniles adjudicated public offenders for various sex offenses. 1 They argue that the 2002 versions of Kentucky’s DNA sampling statutes 2 do not require them to submit DNA for inclusion in a state and national database. Appel *83 lants also present constitutional and administrative challenges to the statutes. Appellee is Commissioner of the Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ), which implemented directives and policies to sample DNA from certain juveniles under its custody or control. For the reasons that follow, we reject Appellants’ challenges, and affirm the judgment of the Court of Appeals.

BACKGROUND

In 1992, the General Assembly passed an act 3 creating a “centralized database of DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) identification records for convicted criminals, crime scene specimens, missing persons, and close biological relatives of missing persons[,]” which “shall be compatible with the procedures set forth in a national DNA identification index to ensure data exchange on a national level[.]” KRS 17.175(1). The purpose of this database is

to assist federal, state, and local criminal justice and law enforcement agencies within and outside the Commonwealth in the identification, detection, or exclusion of individuals who are subjects of the investigation or prosecution of sex-related crimes, violent crimes, or other crimes and the identification and location of missing and unidentified persons.

KRS 17.175(2). KRS 17.175(1) and (2) remain largely unchanged since 1992.

As part of the same 1992 act, 4 the General Assembly also permitted the collection of DNA samples from those convicted of certain felonies, codified at KRS 17.170. As amended in 1996, 5 KRS 17.170(1) permitted the Department of Corrections to take a DNA sample from “[a]ny person convicted [after the effective date] of a felony offense under KRS Chapter 510 or KRS 530.020.”

In 2001, the Court of Appeals in J.D.K. v. Commonwealth held that juveniles adjudicated public offenders did not fall within the purview of KRS 17.170, because an adjudicated juvenile has not been convicted of a felony offense. 54 S.W.3d 174, 176 (Ky.App.2001). The Court of Appeals noted that KRS 635.040 states that “[n]o adjudication by a juvenile session of district court shall be deemed a conviction.... ” Id. The court also noted that “the Unified Juvenile Code does not distinguish between or among felonies, misdemeanors, or violations for purposes of dispositions in juvenile court.” Id.

In the next regular legislative session following J.D.K, the General Assembly passed House Bill 4. 6 The bill made slight modifications to the language of KRS 17.170. In addition, the bill created several new statutes, which expanded the class of persons subject to DNA sampling. KRS 17.171 added those convicted of unlawful transaction with a minor in the first degree, use of a minor in a sexual performance, promoting a sexual performance by a minor, or a felony attempt to commit any of these offenses. KRS 17.172 added those convicted of first- or second-degree burglary or a felony attempt to commit either of these offenses. KRS 17.174 added certain juveniles adjudicated public offenders. 7

*84 The provisions of House Bill 4, passed in 2002, are at issue in this case. Since 2002, the General Assembly has amended KRS 17.170 four times, and has repealed KRS 17.171-17.174. 8 Under the current law, KRS 17.170 requires DNA sampling of all persons convicted of felonies, as well as juveniles who (1) were 14 years or older at the time of their offense, and (2) have been adjudicated a public offender for a felony sex offense, incest, or being a juvenile sexual offender.

On December 20, 2005, Appellee, DJJ Commissioner Bridget Skaggs Brown, issued a General Directive establishing a procedure for the sampling of DNA from juvenile public offenders. However, Brown issued another Directive 8 days later, postponing DNA sampling for a minimum of 30 days.

On February 1, 2006, DJJ issued Policy DJJ 138, which provided procedures for DNA sampling of adjudicated public offenders “as mandated by KRS 17.170, 17.171, 17.172, 17.173, and 17.174.” On February 3, 2006, Brown issued General Directive 06-02 (establishing procedures for “DNA sample collection as mandated by [KRS 17.170-17.174]”). However, due to Appellants’ legal challenge, Brown delayed implementation of DNA sampling on February 16, 2006 with General Directive 06-05. General Directive 06-05 also included an amended list of qualifying offenses for juvenile public offenders to mirror the offenses listed in KRS 17.170-17.172. 9

Appellants filed a petition for a writ of prohibition and declaration of rights in Franklin Circuit Court on February 15, 2006. The circuit court ordered the case to be briefed in the same manner as an administrative appeal. Additionally, Appel-lee filed a motion for summary judgment.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
306 S.W.3d 80, 2010 Ky. LEXIS 70, 2010 WL 997387, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/f-v-brown-ky-2010.