In re D.P.

2016 Ohio 747
Ohio Court of Appeals·Decided February 29, 2016·No. 2-15-13 2-15-14·Published·Cited by 3 cases

Opinion

IN THE COURT OF APPEALS OF OHIO THIRD APPELLATE DISTRICT

AUGLAIZE COUNTY

IN RE:

CASE NO. 2-15-13

D.P.,

ADJUDICATED DELINQUENT OPINION CHILD.

IN RE:

CASE NO. 2-15-14

D.P.,

ADJUDICATED DELINQUENT OPINION CHILD.

Appeals from Auglaize County Common Pleas Court Juvenile Division

Trial Court Nos. 2012 DEL 188 and 2012 DEL 244

Judgments Reversed and Causes Remanded Date of Decision: February 29, 2016

APPEARANCES:

Charlyn Bohland for Appellant Nick Catania for Appellee

PRESTON, J.

{¶1} Adjudicated delinquent child-appellant, D.P., appeals the September 9, 2015 judgment entry of the Auglaize County Court of Common Pleas, Juvenile Division, denying his motion requesting an additional 230 days of credit toward his commitment to the Ohio Department of Youth Services (“DYS”). For the reasons that follow, we reverse.

{¶2} On September 19, 2012, a complaint was filed against D.P. in case No. 2012 DEL 188 alleging that D.P. was a delinquent child for committing two counts of burglary in violation of R.C. 2911.12(A)(2), second-degree felonies if committed by an adult. (Case No. 2012 DEL 188, Doc. No. 1). On January 23, 2013, D.P. admitted to the allegations as charged, and the trial court adjudicated him a delinquent child as alleged in the complaint. (Case No. 2012 DEL 188, Doc. No. 36). In its disposition, the trial court committed D.P. to DYS for institutionalization for an indefinite term consisting of a minimum period of two years—one year for each offense, to be served consecutively—and a maximum period not to exceed D.P.’s attainment of the age of 21 years. (Id.). The trial court placed D.P. on community control and suspended his commitment to DYS upon D.P.’s acceptance into the West Central Juvenile Rehabilitation Center (“Rehabilitation Center”). (Id.). D.P. was accepted, and his placement in the

Rehabilitation Center began on January 28, 2013. (See Case No. 2012 DEL 188, Doc. No. 49).

{¶3} Meanwhile, on November 15, 2012, a complaint was filed against D.P. in the Mercer County, Ohio Court of Common Pleas, Juvenile Division, and then transferred to the Auglaize County Court of Common Pleas, Juvenile Division. (Case No. 2012 DEL 244, Doc. No. 1). The trial court assigned case No. 2012 DEL 244 to that case.1 (See id.). That complaint alleged that D.P. was a delinquent child for committing one count of burglary in violation of R.C. 2911.12(A)(1), a second-degree felony if committed by an adult, and a second count of attempted theft in violation of R.C. 2913.02(A)(1) and 2923.02(A), a second-degree misdemeanor if committed by an adult. (Id.).

{¶4} On April 4, 2013, D.P. appeared before the trial court for adjudication in case No. 2012 DEL 244. (See Case No. 2012 DEL 244, Doc. Nos. 16, 34). D.P. admitted to the allegations as charged, and the trial court adjudicated him a delinquent child as alleged in the complaint. (Id.). In its disposition, the trial court committed D.P. to DYS for institutionalization for an indefinite term consisting of a minimum period of one year and a maximum period not to exceed his attainment of the age of 21 years, to be served consecutively to the commitment in case No. 2012 DEL 188 for a total minimum period of three years

1 The record reflects that complaints were filed against D.P. in other cases that were addressed with case Nos. 2012 DEL 188 and 2012 DEL 244; however, we will discuss only case Nos. 2012 DEL 188 and 2012 DEL 244, which are the only cases relevant to this appeal.

and a maximum period not to exceed D.P.’s attainment of the age of 21 years. (Case No. 2012 DEL 244, Doc. No. 20). The trial court placed D.P. on community control and suspended his commitments to DYS on the condition that D.P. successfully complete the West Central Juvenile Rehabilitation Program. (Id.).

{¶5} On September 18, 2013, the trial court filed a judgment entry ordering D.P.’s release from the Rehabilitation Center. (Case No. 2012 DEL 188, Doc. No. 122).

{¶6} On March 21, 2014, following motions by the State requesting hearings on D.P.’s alleged community-control violations, the trial court adjudicated D.P. “a community control violator” as alleged in the State’s motions. (Case No. 2012 DEL 188, Doc. No. 208); (Case No. 2012 DEL 244, Doc. No. 65). The trial court invoked D.P.’s suspended commitments to DYS. (Id.); (Id.). In its judgment entry, the trial court stated:

The Court finds that [D.P.] has been held in a juvenile detention facility for a period of 17 days prior to Adjudication, and will be held 6 days before transfer to Circleville Juvenile Correctional Facility, and the Ohio Department of Youth Services will reduce the minimum period of institutionalization by that number of days.

(Id.); (Id.).

{¶7} On June 16, 2015, D.P. filed a motion for recalculation of confinement credit. (Case No. 2012 DEL 188, Doc. No. 246); (Case No. 2012 DEL 244, Doc. No. 73). In that motion, he argued that he should be credited under R.C. 2152.18(B) with an additional 353 days of confinement credit, consisting of 123 days spent at the West Central Juvenile Detention Center (“Detention Center”) and 230 days spent at the Rehabilitation Center. (Id.); (Id.).

{¶8} On August 6, 2015, the trial court held a hearing concerning D.P.’s motion for recalculation of confinement credit. (Aug. 6, 2015 Tr. at 3). There, the State conceded that D.P. should be credited for the 123 days that he spent at the Detention Center, but it disagreed that he should be credited for the 230 days that he spent at the Rehabilitation Center. (Id. at 4). The trial court granted D.P.’s request for credit for the 123 days that he spent at the Detention Center and ordered further briefing as to the 230 days that he spent at the Rehabilitation Center. (Id. at 5-6). The trial court filed a judgment entry the next day reflecting its orders. (Case No. 2012 DEL 188, Doc. No. 253); (Case No. 2012 DEL 244, Doc. No. 77).

{¶9} On August 24, 2015, the State filed a response to D.P.’s motion for recalculation of confinement credit. (Case No. 2012 DEL 188, Doc. No. 255); (Case No. 2012 DEL 244, Doc. No. 79). On September 4, 2015, D.P. filed a “response to State’s response” to D.P.’s motion for recalculation of confinement

credit. (Case No. 2012 DEL 188, Doc. No. 256); (Case No. 2012 DEL 244, Doc. No. 80).

{¶10} On September 9, 2015, the trial court filed a judgment entry denying D.P.’s request for confinement credit for the 230 days that he spent at the Rehabilitation Center. (Case No. 2012 DEL 188, Doc. No. 257); (Case No. 2012 DEL 244, Doc. No. 81). The trial court concluded that R.C. 2152.18(B)—which provides that a juvenile’s minimum period of institutionalization be reduced by “the total number of days that the child has been confined in connection with the delinquent child complaint upon which the order of commitment is based”—is “overly broad, vague and therefore, unconstitutional.” (Id.); (Id.). The trial court reasoned that the General Assembly did not define “confined,” which, according to the trial court, carries a different meaning for juveniles. (Id.); (Id.). The trial court found unpersuasive State v. Napier, in which the Supreme Court of Ohio held that the defendant was entitled to credit toward prison time for days served at a community-based correctional facility because the defendant “was not free to come and go as he wished” and “was subject to the control of the staff regarding personal liberties.” 93 Ohio St.3d 646, 648 (2001). In its analysis, the trial court stated:

Napier [sic] is an adult case. Adults are treated differently than juveniles. Juveniles are not free to come and go from schools, are

not free to come and go from their house if detained by a parent. In every aspect of a child’s life, they [sic] are not free to come and go as they please. Are the juvenile courts to give credit for any time a child is not free to come and go as they [sic] please?

(Case No. 2012 DEL 188, Doc. No. 257); (Case No. 2012 DEL 244, Doc. No. 81).

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