In Re Olivito, Unpublished Decision (5-26-2005)

2005 Ohio 2701
CourtOhio Court of Appeals
DecidedMay 26, 2005
DocketNo. 04 MA 42.
StatusUnpublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 2005 Ohio 2701 (In Re Olivito, Unpublished Decision (5-26-2005)) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Ohio Court of Appeals primary law.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In Re Olivito, Unpublished Decision (5-26-2005), 2005 Ohio 2701 (Ohio Ct. App. 2005).

Opinion

OPINION
{¶ 1} Defendant-appellant Attorney Richard A. Olivito appeals the decision of the Youngstown Municipal Court which found him guilty of contempt and ordered him to serve thirty days in jail and submit to a mental health evaluation. Appellant complains that he was not notified of his client's trial date in the case underlying his contempt conviction, the contempt finding was not supported by proof beyond a reasonable doubt, and his sentence was arbitrary and improper. For the following reasons, the judgment of the trial court for contempt is affirmed, the sentence of mental health evaluation is reversed, and the sentence of thirty days in jail is reversed and remanded for imposition of a new sentence.

STATEMENT OF THE CASE
{¶ 2} On May 28, 2003, Charlene Maple, who was charged with driving under suspension, first appeared in the Youngstown Municipal Court. Appellant Olivito was appointed as counsel for Ms. Maple. On July 11, 2003, appellant appeared with Ms. Maple for pretrial. At the pretrial, Ms. Maple signed a form and checked the blank waiving her right to a speedy trial and requesting an indefinite continuance. A judgment entry was entered on July 11, 2003, which stated that the case was reset at the prosecutor's and defendant's request until September 23, 2003 at 10:15 a.m. The entry also stated that Ms. Maple should report to probation to determine her eligibility for a pretrial diversion program called SLIP. This entry was signed by appellant as counsel for Ms. Maple.

{¶ 3} On September 23, 2003, the case was called for trial. Neither Ms. Maple nor appellant appeared. The court's secretary called appellant, who stated that he was at an important case in Warren and could not attend the trial at that time but may be able to make it around 1:00 p.m. The court again called the case at 11:00 a.m. The court noted on the record that neither appellant nor his client were present. The court then issued a capias for the arrest of each for failure to appear. Appellant was informed about his capias at 11:15 a.m., and did not appear until three days later, on September 26, 2003.

{¶ 4} At that appearance, appellant apologized and explained that his case in Warren went later than he expected and he was also involved in attempting to obtain a stay for an eighty-five year old man with a pacemaker. He noted that he had to miss a court date in Campbell too, but he remembered to call that court to cancel. He admitted that he "oversighted" calling the Youngstown Municipal Court. He noted that he could not find his client and that he recently discovered that she failed to pay the fee for the pretrial diversion program. The court set the case for a contempt hearing in a September 26, 2003 entry.

{¶ 5} The contempt hearing proceeded on October 3, 2003. The court's secretary testified that she called appellant when he failed to appear and he advised that he was involved in another matter that took precedence over this and that he could come later. In attempting to show cause why he should not be held in contempt, appellant stated that he was involved in a very important case helping a client, who had been beaten by police officers, testify in front a grand jury in return for decreased charges. He also said he was attempting to stay the sentence of another client, who had also been beaten and who was fearful that the jail security features would cause his pacemaker to malfunction.

{¶ 6} Appellant claimed that the assistant prosecutor in Youngstown informed him that he would try to find someone to stand in for him. Appellant again noted that he properly called the Campbell Municipal Court to inform them that he could not make a scheduled hearing, but "oversighted" the Youngstown Municipal Court. Appellant stated that when he was informed about the capias, he was "caught up" in Warren for the next few days.

{¶ 7} Appellant's attitude then apparently got accusatory as he demanded to know how many times this has happened in the judge's court and stated that he was going to file a public records request to determine how many times this has happened. He also stated, "This court is really acting strange, I'll tell you that." When the court advised that it was not on trial, appellant responded, "I think it is." (10/03/03 Tr. 8).

{¶ 8} When the court inquired if appellant would be calling any witnesses to show why he should not be held in contempt, appellant stated that he did not know he could and asked for a continuance to do so. The court denied the request, reminded appellant that he was an attorney, and stated, "You know how contempt hearings work." Appellant responded, "I do not know." (10/03/03 Tr. 9).

{¶ 9} In an October 3, 2003 judgment entry, the court found appellant guilty of contempt for failing to appear for the September 23, 2003 trial. Sentencing was set and a presentence investigation was ordered. Appointed counsel then attended a "pretrial" on appellant's behalf. A sentencing hearing proceeded on February 13, 2004.

{¶ 10} At the sentencing hearing, the court noted that as per the results of the pretrial, appellant was to arrange for a mental health evaluation. Appellant voiced that the court did not actually order such evaluation, that he was not in favor of this agreement his counsel made in chambers, and that he was dismissing his counsel. He argued that his omissions did not warrant contempt or a mental health evaluation. Appellant then presented argument in mitigation of sentencing. He stated that it was imperative for him to help a fifty-some-year-old man with a pacemaker avoid jail; note, he had previously stated that this man was eighty-five. He then noted that he submitted letters from this and other satisfied clients. He explained that he is serious about stopping police brutality and got "caught up" in his representation of his clients. He then apologized for his oversight.

{¶ 11} In a February 13, 2004 judgment entry, the court sentenced appellant to thirty days in jail. The court suspended the sentence until March 8, 2004 and ordered appellant to attend a mental health evaluation.

{¶ 12} When the case was called on March 8, 2004, appellant informed the court that he still did not attend an evaluation because he never agreed to it. Appellant also made arguments in support of a motion to reconsider filed that same day. He raised for the first time an argument that although an entry in the Maple case stated that September 23, 2003 would be the next court date, he believed that this would be canceled due to the pretrial diversion program. He noted that neither the prosecutor nor probation advised him that his client never completed the program. Appellant concluded that there was no evidence that he intentionally defied a court order.

{¶ 13} The court denied his motion to reconsider. The court then imposed the thirty day sentence and ordered that he complete the mental health evaluation. Appellant was immediately taken to jail.

APPELLATE BRIEFING
{¶ 14} This court stayed appellant's sentence the day he was taken to jail. We allowed submission of Ms. Maple's municipal court file for consideration in this appeal since it is the underlying case containing pertinent occurrences. Appellant and his counsel were given various extensions to file a brief, which was finally filed pro se on September 21, 2004.

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Bluebook (online)
2005 Ohio 2701, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-olivito-unpublished-decision-5-26-2005-ohioctapp-2005.