In Re Gerald B.

105 Cal. App. 3d 119, 164 Cal. Rptr. 193
CourtCalifornia Court of Appeal
DecidedApril 25, 1980
Docket46943
StatusPublished
Cited by16 cases

This text of 105 Cal. App. 3d 119 (In Re Gerald B.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering California Court of Appeal primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
In Re Gerald B., 105 Cal. App. 3d 119, 164 Cal. Rptr. 193 (Cal. Ct. App. 1980).

Opinion

105 Cal.App.3d 119 (1980)
164 Cal. Rptr. 193

In re GERALD B., a Person Coming Under the Juvenile Court Law.
THE PEOPLE, Plaintiff and Respondent,
v.
GERALD B., Defendant and Appellant.

Docket No. 46943.

Court of Appeals of California, First District, Division One.

April 25, 1980.

*121 COUNSEL

William C. Connell, Public Defender, Gregory C. Rael, Deputy Public Defender, Peter Bull and Robert L. Walker for Defendant and Appellant.

George Deukmejian, Attorney General, Robert H. Philibosian, Chief Assistant Attorney General, Edward P. O'Brien, Assistant Attorney General, Gloria F. DeHart and Laurence K. Sullivan, Deputy Attorneys General, for Plaintiff and Respondent.

OPINION

RACANELLI, P.J.

This appeal raises two issues: (1) whether a juvenile court may impose regular school attendance as a condition of probation following a wardship adjudication under section 602 of the Welfare and Institutions Code;[1] and (2) whether such condition may validly require summary detention in the event of noncompliance. We conclude that while school attendance is an appropriate condition of probation, its violation may not be summarily enforced.

On February 28, 1979, Gerald, then 16 years of age, was adjudicated a ward of the court pursuant to the provisions of section 602. The offense charged was petty theft (a bottle of whiskey). On March 14, *122 1979, a dispositional hearing was held. The probation report considered by the court revealed prior contacts with authorities for curfew violation and public intoxication as well as an unspecified criminal charge pending in another jurisdiction; the report further disclosed a record of irregular school attendance and marked academic underachievement. The probation department recommended that Gerald be placed on formal probation for a period of six months in the custody of his mother, subject to alcohol abuse and family counseling and regular school attendance pursuant to a "special school order" imposing limited juvenile hall confinement in the event of one or more unexcused school absences. Following declaration of wardship, the juvenile court placed Gerald on probation subject to the recommended conditions, including the questioned order.[2] In granting probation, the court stated that the special order would become self-executing without further hearing.

At a subsequent hearing clarifying the manner in which the order would be enforced,[3] it was established that the probation department routinely monitored similar orders by periodically contacting the schools involved and obtaining a list of those affected juveniles with unexcused absences. In the event of such absence, the juvenile is advised to spend the following weekend in juvenile hall; if there has been a second absence, the juvenile is arrested and — without benefit of prior notice to counsel (if any) or hearing — taken directly to juvenile hall to spend the remainder of the week. The parents are routinely notified and responsible for providing any existing medical excuse.

Gerald renews his challenge below based upon the statutory and constitutional grounds discussed herein.

*123 Appealability and Mootness

(1) Preliminary, we consider the People's contention that the appeal is premature in the absence of attempted enforcement of the questioned order. We disagree.

It is well established that a dispositional order rendered in a section 602 delinquency proceeding constitutes an appealable judgment. (§ 800; In re Melvin S. (1976) 59 Cal. App.3d 898, 900 [130 Cal. Rptr. 844]; cf. In re Florance (1956) 47 Cal.2d 25 [300 P.2d 825]; In re Timothy N. (1975) 48 Cal. App.3d 862 [121 Cal. Rptr. 880].) Nor does the fact that a noncustodial probation disposition is involved preclude appellate review. (See In re Dana J. (1972) 26 Cal. App.3d 768 [103 Cal. Rptr. 21].) And, it is equally well recognized that the validity of a condition of probation may be challenged by either a collateral or direct attack.[4] (See In re Bushman (1970) 1 Cal.3d 767, 776-777 [83 Cal. Rptr. 375, 463 P.2d 727]; In re Christopher W. (1973) 29 Cal. App.3d 777, 783 [105 Cal. Rptr. 775].)

We may properly assume that the order of probation herein has long since terminated, thus rendering the appeal arguably moot. Nevertheless, we elect to decide the questions presented in view of the established practice below and the likelihood of recurring litigation involving the same issues. (See District Election etc. Committee v. O'Connor (1978) 78 Cal. App.3d 261, 265-266 [144 Cal. Rptr. 442] and cases there cited.)

Validity of School Attendance as a Probation Condition

(2) Gerald first argues that the special order conflicts with the statutory scheme implementing a preliminary school board review of habitual truancy. (§§ 601, subd. (b), 601.1; Ed. Code, § 48263.)[5] The argument must be rejected.

*124 While it is relatively clear that truants are no longer subject to the original jurisdiction of the juvenile court under the amended provisions of section 601 (In re Ronald S. (1977) 69 Cal. App.3d 866, 871 [138 Cal. Rptr. 387]), the basis of wardship jurisdiction herein was not Gerald's truancy but rather the determination of a penal violation under the provisions of section 602 — a wholly independent basis of jurisdiction. (In re William S. (1970) 10 Cal. App.3d 944, 949 [89 Cal. Rptr. 685]; see In re Ronald S., supra.) Thus, the statutory directives of prior referral to the local school attendance review board are inapplicable.

Upon an adjudication of wardship under section 602, the court may place the juvenile in parental custody subject to the supervision of the probation officer (see §§ 727, 730) and may impose "any and all reasonable conditions that it may determine fitting and proper" in the interests of justice and successful rehabilitation (§ 730; cf. Pen. Code, § 1203.1). Such a condition is valid and enforceable unless it bears no reasonable relationship to the underlying offense or prohibits conduct neither itself criminal in nature nor related to future criminality. (See People v. Lent (1975) 15 Cal.3d 481 [124 Cal. Rptr. 905, 541 P.2d 545]; In re Bushman, supra, 1 Cal.3d 767, 777; In re Christopher W., *125 supra, 29 Cal. App.3d 777, 783-784.) In light of the minor's history of irregular school attendance, his disobedience of a previous court order to enroll in school and the fact that the theft occurred during normal school hours, we conclude that the section 602 probation order requiring school attendance was both "fitting and proper" and reasonably calculated to serve the ends of justice and to enhance the likelihood of "reformation and rehabilitation of the ward." (§ 730; cf. § 731 [mandatory professional counseling]; Health & Saf. Code, §§ 11373 and 11376 [compulsory attendance in educational programs by narcotics offender].) Nor does Gerald contend otherwise.

(3) Gerald next argues that the special order violates the statutory provision prohibiting locked detention for noncriminal conduct. (§ 207, subd. (b).)[6]

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Bluebook (online)
105 Cal. App. 3d 119, 164 Cal. Rptr. 193, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-gerald-b-calctapp-1980.