In the Interest of J. D. M.

369 S.E.2d 920, 187 Ga. App. 285, 1988 Ga. App. LEXIS 625
CourtCourt of Appeals of Georgia
DecidedMay 31, 1988
Docket75881
StatusPublished
Cited by6 cases

This text of 369 S.E.2d 920 (In the Interest of J. D. M.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Georgia primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
In the Interest of J. D. M., 369 S.E.2d 920, 187 Ga. App. 285, 1988 Ga. App. LEXIS 625 (Ga. Ct. App. 1988).

Opinion

McMurray, Presiding Judge.

At 12:50 a.m. on November 8, 1986, J. D. M., who was then 16 years of age, was taken into custody upon the allegations of his having committed the delinquent acts of “hunting from a public road” (two incidents) and also the delinquent act of “hunting deer at night with aid of a light.” J. D. M. was released at 2:15 that morning, after an $800 bond was posted.

On January 8, 1987, a petition was filed in the Juvenile Court of Paulding County alleging J. D. M. committed the delinquent acts of “hunting upon or discharging weapons across a public road,” “hunting at night” and “killing of birds and animals from boats, aircraft, and motor vehicles.” J. D. M. filed a motion to dismiss the petition alleging delinquency, arguing that his “arrest” and detention were illegal and that the petition alleging delinquency was untimely filed. This motion was denied and the juvenile court judge adopted the juvenile court referee’s order, which provided, in pertinent part, as follows: “The above-named child [J. D. M.] came before the Referee on February 18, 1987 on a petition alleging the child to be delinquent. Present with the child was the child’s parents . . . and the child’s attorney. . . .

“The child was advised as to his right to counsel, to remain silent, to a hearing before the Judge and was further advised as to the allegations as stated in the petition. The child was given an opportunity to enter an admission or denial to the allegations against the *286 child.

“The child under advice of his attorney, made an admission to the allegations of delinquency of hunting at night and discharging a weapon across a public road, waived contested hearing, and requested dispositional hearing at that time. The allegation of killing an animal from a motor vehicle was dismissed.

“Upon the child’s admission to the allegations, evidence was heard thereon as to the voluntariness of the admission and as to the particulars of the act upon which the allegations of delinquency were based. After hearing evidence of a clear and convincing nature thereon, it was found that said child and the matter are within the jurisdiction of the Court and that the child was in fact delinquent in that he committed the offenses to which he admitted. It was further found, after clear and convincing evidence, that said child is in need of supervision, treatment and rehabilitation. . . .

“It is recommended that said child be placed on probation for a period of one (1) year in the custody of his parents . . . and the supervision of the Court Service Worker under such terms and conditions as normally prescribed by the Court for probation and on the special conditions: (1) That said child pay a fine in the amount of $150.00; (2) That the child enroll in a GED program promptly or have his driver’s license suspended.” It is from this order that J. D. M. appeals. Held:

1. It is first argued that J. D. M.’s adjudication of delinquency was made without “proof beyond a reasonable doubt.”

An examination of the transcript of the adjudication hearing shows that J. D. M. admitted to committing two of the acts charged in the delinquency petition, explaining in detail the events surrounding his apprehension. It is undisputed that J. D. M.’s admissions were voluntary and that he was aware of the consequences of his admissions. See William W. Daniel’s, Ga. Criminal Trial Practice (1986 ed.) § 16-3. Under these circumstances, we find no basis to consider this enumeration of error. 1

2. Next, it is argued that the juvenile court erred in failing to dismiss the petition alleging delinquency because of the “improper arrest and detention of [J. D. M.]” and because the petition was not filed within the time prescribed by OCGA § 15-11-21 (b).

(a) First, we address the argument relating to J. D. M.’s “arrest *287 and detention.”

“A child may be taken into custody . . . [b]y a law enforcement officer or duly authorized officer of the court if there are reasonable grounds to believe that the child has committed a delinquent act. . . .” OCGA § 15-11-17 (a) (3). “A child taken into custody shall not be detained . . . prior to the hearing on the petition unless . . . [h]e has no parent, guardian, or custodian or other person able to provide supervision and care for him and return him to the court when required . . .” OCGA § 15-11-18 (3). “A person taking a child into custody, with all reasonable speed and without first taking the child elsewhere, shall .... [forthwith release without bond the child to his parents, guardian, or other custodian upon their promise to bring the child before the court when requested by the court. . . .” OCGA § 15-11-19 (a) (1).

J. D. M. was taken into custody by a law enforcement officer after he was observed committing a delinquent act, detained for less than two hours and released after an $800 bond was posted for his release. Contrary to the contentions of J. D. M.’s brief, there is nothing in the record to indicate that J. D. M.’s parents appeared at the time of his detention and release in order to invoke the provisions of OCGA §§ 15-11-18 (3) and 15-11-19 (a) (1). Consequently, J. D. M.’s “arrest and detention” were not in violation of the Juvenile Court Code. Notwithstanding, it is argued that the petition should have been dismissed because an $800 bond was required to be posted for J. D. M.’s release. We do not agree.

Assuming J. D. M.’s parents appeared for his release and that the release or continued detention provisions of OCGA § 15-11-19 were not followed, we find nothing in the Juvenile Court Code requiring dismissal of the petition as a result thereof. Further, this court has held certain provisions of OCGA § 15-11-19 to be directory and, where no injury appears to have resulted, technical violations of this Code section will not render infirm evidence obtained as a result of such violations. See Paxton v. State, 159 Ga. App. 175, 177 (1), 178 (282 SE2d 912), and Barnes v. State, 178 Ga. App. 205, 206 (2), 207 (342 SE2d 388). Similarly, since there has been no showing that J. D. M. was prejudiced as a result of his alleged illegal “arrest and detention . . .,” the court did not err in failing to dismiss the petition on these grounds. See Thompson v. State, 175 Ga. App. 645, 648 (3) (334 SE2d 312), where this court held that “ ‘the illegality of an arrest neither bars prosecution or affects a conviction.’ ” William W. Daniel’s, Ga. Criminal Trial Practice (1986 ed.) § 2-24, p. 32.

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Bluebook (online)
369 S.E.2d 920, 187 Ga. App. 285, 1988 Ga. App. LEXIS 625, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-the-interest-of-j-d-m-gactapp-1988.