In re K.L.R.

2015 Ohio 4453
CourtOhio Court of Appeals
DecidedOctober 26, 2015
DocketCA2015-03-030
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 2015 Ohio 4453 (In re K.L.R.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Ohio Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
In re K.L.R., 2015 Ohio 4453 (Ohio Ct. App. 2015).

Opinion

[Cite as In re K.L.R., 2015-Ohio-4453.]

IN THE COURT OF APPEALS

TWELFTH APPELLATE DISTRICT OF OHIO

WARREN COUNTY

IN THE MATTER OF: :

K.L.R. : CASE NO. CA2015-03-030

: OPINION 10/26/2015 :

:

APPEAL FROM WARREN COUNTY COURT OF COMMON PLEAS JUVENILE DIVISION Case No. 14-N000739

David P. Fornshell, Warren County Prosecuting Attorney, Michael Greer, 500 Justice Drive, Lebanon, Ohio 45036, for plaintiff-appellee

Wright & Schulte, LLC, Shireen J. Hebert, 812 East National Road, Vandalia, Ohio 45377, for defendant-appellant

RINGLAND, J.

{¶ 1} Appellant, K.L.R., appeals his adjudication in the Warren County Court of

Common Pleas, Juvenile Division, as a delinquent child for gross sexual imposition (GSI).

Based upon the reasoning set forth below, we reverse and remand for further proceedings.

{¶ 2} The state alleges that K.L.R. twice entered the bedroom of G.B. and had sexual

contact with her absent consent. Regarding the first instance, G.B. testified that she awoke

to find K.L.R. standing over her sister. G.B. stated that K.L.R. then approached her bed and Warren CA2015-03-030

touched her on the breast. As to the second instance, G.B. testified that she awoke to find

K.L.R. touching her on the breast with one hand while his other hand was in his pants.

{¶ 3} K.L.R. was charged by complaint in the juvenile court with one count of GSI in

violation of R.C. 2907.05(A)(5), a fourth-degree felony if committed by an adult. However,

the language of the complaint alleged K.L.R. committed GSI "by force or threat of force."

That language is associated with R.C. 2907.05(A)(1), rather than the language of R.C.

2907.05(A)(5), which states that GSI occurs when "the ability of the other person to resist or

consent * * * is substantially impaired because of a mental or physical condition[.]" The

complaint was subsequently amended to add a second count of GSI. Both counts again

used the language of R.C. 2907.05(A)(1) while citing to R.C. 2907.05(A)(5).

{¶ 4} The matter proceeded to an adjudication hearing. Following G.B.'s testimony,

the state made an oral motion to amend the complaint to remove the force language of R.C.

2907.05(A)(1) and replace it with the substantial impairment language of R.C. 2907.05(A)(5).

The court amended the complaint over K.L.R.'s objection.

{¶ 5} At the conclusion of the hearing, the court granted K.L.R.'s motion to dismiss on

the first count. On the second count, the court found that K.L.R. committed GSI pursuant to

2907.05(A)(5) and adjudicated him delinquent.

{¶ 6} K.L.R. objected to the magistrate's decision and argued, in pertinent part, that

the magistrate erred in amending the complaint during the adjudicatory hearing. The trial

court overruled K.L.R.'s objections and adopted the magistrate's decision.

{¶ 7} K.L.R. now appeals, raising three assignments of error for review.

{¶ 8} Assignment of Error No. 1:

{¶ 9} THE TRIAL COURT'S GRANTING OF THE STATE'S MOTION TO AMEND

THE AMENDED COMPLAINT VIOLATED OHIO CRIMINAL RULE 7(D), OHIO JUVENILE

RULE 22(B) AND THE DUE PROCESS CLAUSE FOUND IN THE CONSTITUTION OF THE

-2- Warren CA2015-03-030

STATE OF OHIO AND THE UNITED STATES.

{¶ 10} K.L.R. argues the trial court erred when it changed the identity of his alleged

crime after the start of the adjudicatory hearing. As stated above, the trial court amended the

language of the complaint from GSI by force or threat of force to GSI by substantial

impairment.

{¶ 11} The trial court's decision to amend a juvenile delinquency complaint will not be

reversed absent an abuse of discretion. In re M.C., 10th Dist. No. 12AP-618, 2013-Ohio-

2109, ¶ 45. An abuse of discretion connotes more than an error of law or judgment; it implies

that the court's attitude is unreasonable, arbitrary or unconscionable. Blakemore v.

Blakemore, 5 Ohio St.3d 217, 219 (1983).

{¶ 12} Juv.R. 22(B) provides in relevant part:

Any pleading may be amended at any time prior to the adjudicatory hearing. After the commencement of the adjudicatory hearing, a pleading may be amended upon agreement of the parties or, if the interests of justice require, upon order of the court. A complaint charging an act of delinquency may not be amended unless agreed by the parties, if the proposed amendment would change the name or identity of the specific violation of law so that it would be considered a change of the crime charged if committed by an adult.

In short, an amendment that changes the name or identity of a crime alleged must be agreed

upon by the parties. K.L.R. concedes that the amendment did not change the name of the

crime alleged. However, there is some question whether the amendment changed the

identity of the crime.

{¶ 13} Juv.R. 22(B) applies to the variety of complaints filed in the juvenile court (i.e.,

delinquency, unruly, juvenile traffic offender, dependency, neglect and abuse, private

custody, etc.). The rule provides special treatment for complaints alleging delinquency. While

other complaints may be amended by agreement or “if the interests of justice require”,

amendment of delinquency complaints changing the name or identity of the violation of law

-3- Warren CA2015-03-030

may be amended only by agreement. Additionally, the rule directs that the criminal

jurisprudence concerning the amendment of criminal complaints be consulted by providing

that the determination of the nature of the amendment be based upon whether the

amendment “would be considered a change of the crime charged if committed by an adult.”

{¶ 14} Juv.R. 22(B) applies to the variety of complaints filed in the juvenile court (i.e.,

delinquency, unruly, juvenile traffic offender, dependency, neglect and abuse, private

custody, etc.). The rule provides special treatment for complaints alleging delinquency. While

other complaints may be amended by agreement or "if the interests of justice require,"

amendment of delinquency complaints changing the name or identity of the violation of law

may be amended only by agreement. Additionally, the rule directs that the criminal

jurisprudence concerning the amendment of criminal complaints be consulted by providing

that the determination of the nature of the amendment be based upon whether the

amendment "would be considered a change of the crime charged if committed by an adult."

{¶ 15} To determine whether the "identity" of a crime has changed, the court must

examine whether the "penalty or degree" changed. State v. Stacey, 3rd Dist. Seneca No. 13-

08-44, 2009-Ohio-3816, ¶ 9. The "identity" of a crime changes when an indictment is so

amended that the offense alleged in the indictment and the offense alleged in the amended

indictment contain different elements that require independent proof. State v. Collinsworth,

12th Dist. Brown No. CA2003-10-012, 2004-Ohio-5902, ¶ 20.

{¶ 16} The "identity" of a crime does not change when a court is simply correcting a

clerical error even though the amendment changed an element of the offense. Stacey at ¶

10. On the other hand, the "identity" of a crime is changed when a court is not merely

correcting a clerical mistake but instead modifying the elements of the crime. State v.

Stodgel, 12th Dist. Fayette No. CA2012-04-010, 2013-Ohio-1109, ¶ 24; State v. Woody, 29

Ohio App.3d 364 (1st Dist.1986).

-4- Warren CA2015-03-030

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2021 Ohio 3782 (Ohio Court of Appeals, 2021)

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2015 Ohio 4453, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-klr-ohioctapp-2015.