Marts v. Superior Court

49 Cal. App. 3d 517, 122 Cal. Rptr. 687, 1975 Cal. App. LEXIS 1227
CourtCalifornia Court of Appeal
DecidedJune 27, 1975
DocketCiv. 45768
StatusPublished
Cited by6 cases

This text of 49 Cal. App. 3d 517 (Marts v. Superior Court) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering California Court of Appeal primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Marts v. Superior Court, 49 Cal. App. 3d 517, 122 Cal. Rptr. 687, 1975 Cal. App. LEXIS 1227 (Cal. Ct. App. 1975).

Opinion

Opinion

STEPHENS, J.

Petitioner (defendant) Marts seeks a writ of mandate ordering the suppression of certain evidence which he alleges is the result of an illegal search.

Marts was on parole, and condition No. 14 of the parole reads: “Search: You shall submit to a search of your person, your residence, and any property under your control upon request by your agent, any agent of the Department of Corrections, or Law Enforcement officer.” *519 On August 13, 1974, petitioner’s parole agent, Byrd, visited Marts’ residence, and when Byrd was admitted, he observed a small scale with unidentified powder thereon, a knife, and an open package of sandwich size baggies in the kitchen, where Marts’ common law wife (Silva) was cooking. Marts invited Byrd into the backyard, where Byrd was shown a newly planted lawn. On return to the house, Byrd observed that the scale, knife, and baggies had been removed from view. Byrd requested a urine sample from Marts, but was told that Marts was then unable to produce a sample and woúld go to Byrd’s office later in the week to comply. As Byrd left the residence, he was introduced to a newly arrived visitor to the house. Byrd observed him to be probably under the influence of a narcotic. The following day, Byrd requested police surveillance of the Marts’ residence, and this was provided. The police observed what they concluded to be two narcotics transactions, and they informed Byrd. The two “buyers” were promptly placed under arrest, and were found to be under the influence of narcotics.

Based on this information, on August 15, 1974, Byrd determined to have Marts placed in custody. Pursuant to that determination, Byrd, another narcotics officer, and other police officers went to the vicinity of the Marts’ residence. Byrd there observed Marts enter a pickup truck and drive away. Byrd directed the officers to arrest Marts because Byrd then believed Marts to be in violation of his parole. Byrd observed Marts being taken into custody, searched and handcuffed. Byrd concluded at that time that Marts was under the influence of a narcotic, and observed that he had needle marks on his arm. Byrd told Marts that a search of Marts’ residence would then be made, and all participating individuals proceeded to the house. 1 Byrd and others entered without knocking or announcing the purpose of entiy, and commenced a search of the premises. Marts, along with Department of Corrections officers, entered the house first. 2 Silva and her infant son were in the house when Byrd entered. In the course of the search, the contraband sought to be suppressed was discovered and seized.

The fundamental question presented is whether, by virtue of the waiver-condition of his parole, a parolee has no constitutional rights *520 against a warrantless search. We conclude that once a parolee has been informed of the officer’s intent to search, the condition of parole has been complied with and the subsequent search without a warrant, incident to or to ascertain a parole violation, is valid.

In People v. Superior Court (Stevens) 12 Cal.3d 858, 861 [117 Cal.Rptr. 433, 528 P.2d 41], the court held that notice of a residential search to a California Rehabilitation Center outpatient was “a prerequisite to the validity of the search.” And in People v. Mason, 5 Cal.3d 759, 763 [97 Cal.Rptr. 302, 488 P.2d 630], the court stated: “A ‘condition [of probation]’ implies a qualification or restriction; accordingly, a condition to a grant of probation contemplates some limitation upon the probationer’s rights. [Citations.] If defendant had the right to withhold his consent to a warrantless search, the protection thereby afforded him would have been as broad as that afforded all other persons under the Fourth Amendment. We conclude that the probation condition, by use of the words ‘with or without a search warrant,’ was intended to restrict defendant’s right to refuse a warrantless search, and that the words ‘whenever requested’ were added to require the officers to notify defendant before conducting a search of his house or car. Thus, a search made without defendant’s knowledge would have been invalid.”

In the instant case, Marts was notified of the impending search. The question then is whether the search was within the bounds of the purpose of the waiver. In re Bushman, 1 Cal.3d 767, 776-777 [83 Cal.Rptr. 375, 463 P.2d 727] states:

“When granting probation, courts have broad discretion to impose restrictive conditions to foster rehabilitation and to protect public safety. Penal Code section 1203.1 authorizes the court to impose any ‘reasonable conditions, as it may determine are fitting and proper to the end that justice may be done, . . . and specifically for the reformation and rehabilitation of the probationer.’ If the defendant considers the conditions of probation more harsh than the sentence the court would otherwise impose, he has the right to refuse probation and undergo the sentence. (In re Osslo (1958) 51 Cal.2d 371, 377 [334 P.2d 1]; People v. Frank (1949) 94 Cal.App.2d 740, 741-742 [211 P.2d 350].) In such case he may challenge the legality of any proposed conditions of probation on an appeal from the judgment or on habeas corpus. (In re Osslo, supra, at p. 382; In re Allen (1969) 71Cal.2d 388, 389 [78 Cal.Rptr. 207, 455 P.2d 143].) If it is determined that a proposed condition of probation is invalid, the judgment should be vacated and the defendant given an *521 opportunity to accept probation on lawful conditions. If, on the other hand, the defendant accepts probation, he may seek relief from the restraint of any alleged invalid condition of probation on appeal from the order granting probation or on habeas corpus. (In re Allen, supra, at p. 389; In re Osslo, supra, at pp. 381-382.) Although habeas corpus cannot serve as a substitute for appeal to review a determination of fact made on conflicting evidence (In re Dixon (1953) 41 Cal.2d 756, 760 [264 P.2d 513]; In re Lindley (1947) 29 Cal.2d 709, 722 [177 P.2d 918]), it may be used to review the validity of a sentence or order of probation that can be corrected without the redetermination of any questions of fact. (In re McInturff (1951) 37 Cal.2d 876, 880-881 [236 P.2d 574]; Neal v. State of California (1960) 55 Cal.2d 11, 16-17 [9 Cal.Rptr. 607, 357 P.2d 839].)

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
49 Cal. App. 3d 517, 122 Cal. Rptr. 687, 1975 Cal. App. LEXIS 1227, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/marts-v-superior-court-calctapp-1975.