In Re Nicholson

724 N.E.2d 1217, 132 Ohio App. 3d 303
CourtOhio Court of Appeals
DecidedFebruary 16, 1999
DocketNO. 74657.
StatusPublished
Cited by24 cases

This text of 724 N.E.2d 1217 (In Re Nicholson) 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 Nicholson, 724 N.E.2d 1217, 132 Ohio App. 3d 303 (Ohio Ct. App. 1999).

Opinion

Michael J. Corrigan, Judge.

Appellant, the Ohio Department of Youth Services, appeals the decision of the Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas, Juvenile Division, which permanently enjoined appellant from obtaining a DNA sample from appellee, Steven Nicholson. Appellant assigns one error for review. This court, finding error, reverses the decision of the juvenile court.

On January 9, 1996, appellee, who was seventeen years old at the time, waived the assistance of counsel and entered an admission of delinquency for acts that if committed by an adult would have constituted gross sexual imposition pursuant to R.C. 2907.05. On February 12, 1996, appellee was placed on probation conditioned on intensive probation supervision and sex-offender therapy.

On May 31, 1996, appellee was charged with violating his probation. A hearing was held on July 19, 1996, wherein appellee again waived his right to counsel and admitted violating the terms of his probation. Pursuant to R.C. 2151.335, appellee was committed to the Ohio Department of Youth Services (“O.D.Y.S.”) with continued sex-offender treatment. Appellee was transferred to a correction center until mid-October, when he was transferred to a community facility pursuant to R.C. 5139.38.

After his release, appellee was placed on aftercare. As O.D.Y.S. was preparing to release appellee, he received notice that he was to report to the O.D.Y.S. *306 Regional Office on March 18, 1998, to provide a blood sample for DNA identification. 1 Appellee obtained counsel and moved for temporary and permanent injunctive relief, arguing that appellee had no authority to take the DNA sample. The juvenile court granted temporary relief and set a hearing for March 28, 1998.

Appellee argued (1) that the state had failed to inform appellee of the consequences of his admission in violation of Juv.R. 29(D), ie., the requirement of submitting a DNA sample; (2) that the DNA sample can be taken when an individual is leaving custody pursuant to R.C. 2151.315(B)(2) only if the individual refused to provide a sample during the intake procedure pursuant to R.C. 2151.315(B)(1); and (3) that R.C. 2151.315 violated appellee’s right to be free from unreasonable searches and seizures provided by the Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution. Appellant argued that since appellee was in custody and had admitted committing acts that would constitute gross sexual imposition if he were an adult, R.C. 2151.315 requires the Director of Youth Services to take a DNA sample from appellee during intake or release procedures.

The trial court continued the matter until April 21, 1998. At that hearing, the trial court ruled that appellant could not obtain the DNA sample, reasoning that when he entered his admission appellee was not apprised of the fact that he would have to give a DNA sample. It did not consider the constitutionality of the statute and/or its application. Appellant timely filed this appeal.

As its sole assignment of error, appellant states the following:

“I. The trial court abused its discretion by enjoining the Ohio Department of Youth Services from collecting a DNA sample from appellee Steven Nicholson. R.C. 2151.315 requires the collection because appellee Nicholson was adjudicated for gross sexual imposition. (See May 6,1998 judgment entry.)”

Appellant argues that the trial court abused its discretion by enjoining the collection of a DNA sample from appellee for the following reasons: (1) appellee was adjudicated delinquent for committing gross sexual imposition, (2) R.C. 2151.315 requires appellant to collect a DNA sample from appellee, (3) DNA collection under R.C. 2151.315 does not constitute a “consequence” as used in Juv.R. 29(D), and (4) R.C. 2151.315 does not violate appellee’s Fourth Amendment right to be free from unreasonable searches and seizures. We agree.

Juv.R. 29(D) requires the court to make a careful inquiry before accepting an admission in a juvenile case. The rule provides:

“The court may refuse to accept an admission and shall not accept an admission without addressing the party personally and determining both of the following:

*307 “(1) The party is making the admission voluntarily with understanding of the nature of the allegation and the consequences of the admission;

“(2) The party understands that by entering an admission the party is waiving the right to challenge the witnesses and evidence against the party, to remain silent, and to introduce evidence at the adjudicatory hearing.”

An admission in a delinquency case is similar to a guilty plea entered by an adult in a criminal case in that it involves a waiver of the juvenile’s right to challenge the allegations of the complaint and to confront witnesses. In re Christopher (1995), 101 Ohio App.3d 245, 247, 655 N.E.2d 280, 281-282. Juv.R. 29(D) is analogous to Crim.R. 11(C)(2) in that, before accepting an admission of guilt, the trial court must personally address the juvenile on the record with respect to the areas of inquiry set forth in the rule. In re McKenzie (1995), 102 Ohio App.3d 275, 277, 656 N.E.2d 1377, 1378-1379; In re Jenkins (1995), 101 Ohio App.3d 177, 179, 655 N.E.2d 238, 239.

As with the acceptance of a guilty plea by an adult pursuant to Crim.R. 11(C)(2), the trial court may accept a juvenile’s admission only upon the court’s “substantial compliance with the provisions of Juv.R. 29(D).” In re Christopher, supra, 101 Ohio App.3d at 248, 655 N.E.2d at 282. In the absence of such compliance, the adjudication must be reversed and the juvenile permitted to plead again. Id.

Before applying Juv.R. 29(D) to the facts of this case, we must first determine whether the issue was preserved for appeal. It is without dispute that appellee did not attempt to withdraw and/or vacate his prior admission of the offense. In such a case, it has been held that failure to request withdrawal of a guilty plea waives any error on appeal. State v. Batances (July 10, 1997), Cuyahoga App. No. 70786, unreported, 1997 WL 391334; State v. Stokes (March 7, 1996), Cuyahoga App. No. 69032, unreported, 1996 WL 100955. Hence, appellee’s failure to seek a withdrawal of his admission constitutes waiver of this issue.

Notwithstanding the waiver, this court will address the application of Juv.R. 29(D) to the facts of this case as argued by the parties. In this case, the trial court reasoned that since appellee was not informed that he would be subject to a DNA sample, he did not make his admission “voluntarily with understanding of the nature of the allegation and the consequences of the admission.” Juv.R. 29(D)(1). However, not only did appellee voluntarily waive counsel prior to entering his admission, but the fact that by his admission he would be required to provide a DNA sample is not a “consequence” as contemplated by Juv.R. 29(D)(1).

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
724 N.E.2d 1217, 132 Ohio App. 3d 303, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-nicholson-ohioctapp-1999.