In Re JTM

922 P.2d 1103, 22 Kan. App. 2d 673
CourtCourt of Appeals of Kansas
DecidedJuly 26, 1996
Docket74,548
StatusPublished

This text of 922 P.2d 1103 (In Re JTM) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Kansas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
In Re JTM, 922 P.2d 1103, 22 Kan. App. 2d 673 (kanctapp 1996).

Opinion

22 Kan. App.2d 673 (1996)
922 P.2d 1103

In the Matter of J.T.M. and M.N.M.

No. 74,548.

Court of Appeals of Kansas.

Opinion filed July 26, 1996.

Kevin C. Harris, of Fairway, for appellant J.T.M., and James C. Trickey, of Overland Park, for appellant M.N.M.

Mary S. Hosach and Jacqueline J. Spradling, assistant district attorneys, Paul J. Morrison, district attorney, and Carla J. Stovall, attorney general, for appellee.

*674 Before GREEN, P.J., RULON, J., and DAN D. BOYER, District Judge, assigned.

RULON, J.:

This is an appeal by two juveniles, J.T.M. and M.N.M., respondents, who argue the district court did not have jurisdiction to adjudicate them as juvenile offenders on charges of aggravated battery because the charging documents were defective. Respondents specifically claim the court erred in allowing the State to amend the complaints to cure the defect, denying their request for discovery, denying their request for a jury trial, and permitting a co-respondent to testify. We affirm.

The facts of this case are essentially undisputed and are as follows:

Respondents were each charged as juveniles with one count of aggravated battery, K.S.A. 21-3414, level 7 person felonies. The cases were consolidated for purposes of trial.

Prior to trial, respondents filed motions to have the charges dismissed because the charging documents were fatally defective. According to the motions, the complaints alleged respondents committed an aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, to wit, mace or fists. The trial court indicated the motion would be granted if requested but that the prosecution would simply refile the charges. Respondents' counsel then informed the court the father of respondents did not want the case dismissed and agreed to permit the State to amend the complaint.

Eventually, counsel for respondents filed discovery motions requesting all medical records from any health care provider who treated the victim for injuries alleged to have resulted from respondents' actions. The motions also requested the details of any agreements for leniency given by the prosecution to any witness in the case. Respondents additionally filed motions requesting a jury trial.

The trial court directed the district attorney to provide respondents with all of the State's files for discovery purposes and denied the request for a jury trial. Respondents were subsequently found to be juvenile offenders and placed on probation in the custody of their parents for approximately 1 year.

*675 DEFECTIVE COMPLAINT

Respondents' first argument is that the trial court erred in allowing the State to amend the complaint. Specifically, respondents argue that because the complaint was fatally defective, the court never had jurisdiction and consequently had no authority to allow the complaint to be amended.

Respondents primarily rely on State v. Wilson, 240 Kan. 606, 731 P.2d 306 (1987), as support for this issue. In Wilson, the court stated that "[a]n information which omits one or more of the essential elements of the crime it attempts to charge is jurisdictionally and fatally defective and a conviction of that offense must be reversed." 240 Kan. at 607. The court further said that an information that does not charge any offense cannot be amended during trial over the defense's objection. 240 Kan. at 608.

In Wilson, the defendant was charged with first-degree murder; however, the information did not charge that the killing was done maliciously, deliberately, and with premeditation. Instead, the information only charged that the defendant did "unlawfully, wilfully kill and murder" the victim by stabbing her in the chest with a knife and inflicting mortal wounds. As such, because the information omitted one or more of the essential elements of the crime charged, the court concluded that the information was jurisdictionally and fatally defective. 240 Kan. at 607. Similarly, the language in the information was insufficient to allege second-degree murder, voluntary manslaughter, or involuntary manslaughter. 240 Kan. at 607-08. Therefore, the case went to trial on an information that did not charge any degree of criminal homicide under the laws of this state. 240 Kan. at 608.

The State argued the information was amended during trial to charge first-degree murder. The Wilson court noted that at one point the prosecutor stated a desire to amend the information, but made no oral or written motion on the record. The State never filed an amended information; the prosecutor did not state on the record the wording in the information the State wished to add or delete; and the prosecutor did not seek to amend by interlineation. The Wilson court concluded the information had never been amended. 240 Kan. at 608.

*676 The difference between this case and Wilson is that here there was no conviction resulting from a defective information. Here, the record shows that upon respondents' motion to dismiss, the prosecution filed an amended complaint and charged respondents with a level 8 aggravated battery versus the level 7 aggravated battery each was originally charged with committing. The amended complaints were filed prior to trial and after respondents had withdrawn their request for a dismissal.

K.S.A. 38-1622 sets out the requirements for a complaint alleging an individual is a juvenile offender. The statute requires that the complaint contain, plainly and concisely, the essential facts constituting the offense charged and, if the statement is drawn in the language of the statute, ordinance, or resolution alleged to have been violated, such shall be considered sufficient. For each count charged, the information is to contain the official or customary citation of the statute, ordinance, or resolution which is alleged to have been violated, but error in the citation or its omission shall not be grounds for dismissal of the complaint or for reversal of an adjudication if such error did not prejudice the respondent. K.S.A. 38-1622(a)(1)(D) and (E).

Neither party cites, and our own research fails to find, any Kansas authority dealing with an allegation that a juvenile complaint is fatally defective. There is, however, an abundance of case law concerning defective criminal complaints or informations under K.S.A. 22-3201.

K.S.A. 22-3201 provides that the information, complaint, or indictment shall be a plain and concise written statement of the essential facts constituting the crime charged, which is to be drawn in the language of the statute. The complaint, information, or indictment shall state, for each count, the customary citation of the statute, rule, and regulation, or other provision of the law the defendant is alleged to have violated.

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373 U.S. 83 (Supreme Court, 1963)
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405 U.S. 150 (Supreme Court, 1972)
United States v. Bagley
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State v. Dressel
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State v. Humphrey
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State v. Allen
908 P.2d 1324 (Court of Appeals of Kansas, 1995)
State v. Muhammad
703 P.2d 835 (Supreme Court of Kansas, 1985)
State v. Lumbrera
891 P.2d 1096 (Supreme Court of Kansas, 1995)
Findlay v. State
681 P.2d 20 (Supreme Court of Kansas, 1984)
State v. Wilson
731 P.2d 306 (Supreme Court of Kansas, 1987)
State v. Starks
885 P.2d 387 (Court of Appeals of Kansas, 1994)
State v. Woods
825 P.2d 514 (Supreme Court of Kansas, 1992)
In re J.T.M.
922 P.2d 1103 (Court of Appeals of Kansas, 1996)
State v. Johnson
899 P.2d 1050 (Supreme Court of Kansas, 1995)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
922 P.2d 1103, 22 Kan. App. 2d 673, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-jtm-kanctapp-1996.