Mason W. Meunier-Short v. State of Indiana

52 N.E.3d 927, 2016 WL 1533489, 2016 Ind. App. LEXIS 108
CourtIndiana Court of Appeals
DecidedApril 14, 2016
Docket32A01-1507-CR-968
StatusPublished
Cited by10 cases

This text of 52 N.E.3d 927 (Mason W. Meunier-Short v. State of Indiana) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Indiana Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Mason W. Meunier-Short v. State of Indiana, 52 N.E.3d 927, 2016 WL 1533489, 2016 Ind. App. LEXIS 108 (Ind. Ct. App. 2016).

Opinion

ROBB, Judge.

Case Summary and Issues

Mason. Meunier-Short ’ pleaded guilty-to criminal recklessness while armed with a deadly weapon, a Level 6 felony. The trial court sentenced him to two years in the Department of Correction, with one year suspended to probation. Meunier-Short appeals, arguing (1) the trial court abused its discretion by assessing fines, costs, and fees without first-conducting an indigency hearing and by ordering all fines, costs, and fees be paid prior to his earliest possible release date, and (2)'the ..trial court abused its discretion by ordering him to return to school and , maintain a “C” average as a condition of his probation.

Concluding the trial court was hot required to conduct an indigency hearing before assessing fines, costs, and fees as a condition of probation, nor required to defer the assessment of fines, costs, abd fees until after Meunier-Short’s release — but is required to conduct an indigency hearing at some point — we remand to the trial court to conduct an indigency hearing pri- or to the termination of Meunier-Short’s probation, or in the event the State files a petition to revoke his probation, prior to *930 revoking Meunier-Short’s probation for failure to pay fines, costs, and fees. In addition, we vacate the portion of the Supplemental Probation Order imposing a $200.00 substance abuse fee and $200.00 alcohol and drug countermeasures fee. The trial court was without authority to impose either fee and erred by doing so. As for the condition requiring Meunier-Short to return to school and maintain a “C” average, we conclude the trial court abused its discretion and remand with instructions to amend the Probation Order by giving Meunier-Short the option to either maintain full time employment or “faithfully pursue” a course of study that will equip him for suitable employment. Ind.Code § 35-38-2-2.3(a)(l).

Facts and Procedural History

On October 10, 2014, Meunier-Short was unemployed and living with his father. That afternoon, Meunier-Short removed a shotgun from beneath his father’s bed and pointed it at his girlfriend. Unaware the shotgun was loaded, he pulled the trigger and fired. The shot struck his girlfriend in the abdomen, causing severe and life-threatening injuries. Meunier-Short was arrested and charged with criminal recklessness while armed with a deadly weapon, a Level 6 felony, and a firearm enhancement pursuant to Indiana Code section 35-50-2-11. He hired private counsel and posted a $25,000 surety bond on October 31, 2014. In December, he moved out of his father’s apartment and found a job at a restaurant. He enrolled in classes at a community college and completed thirteen credit hours during the spring semester.

On June 23, 2015, Meunier-Short pleaded guilty to criminal recklessness as a Level 6 felony; the State dismissed the firearm enhancement in exchange for his guilty plea. At the time of the sentencing hearing, Meunier-Short was still employed at the restaurant and was enrolled in classes for the summer and fall semesters. He informed the trial court of his intention to transfer to Indiana State University in January 2016 and argued a period of incarceration would “stop all of these positive efforts.” Transcript at 92. Nonetheless, the trial court sentenced Meunier-Short to two years in the .Department of Correction, with one year suspended to probation. The trial court imposed $1,099.00 in fines, costs, and fees and ordered Meunier-Short return to school and maintain a “C” average following his release. Meunier-Short signed the Probation Order and did not object to the conditions listed therein. The trial court appointed appellate counsel, and Meunier-Short initiated this appeal.

Discussion and Decision

I. Standard of Review

We review the trial court’s sentencing decisions for abuse of discretion. McElroy v. State, 865 N.E.2d 584, 588 (Ind.2007). Sentencing decisions include the imposition of fines, costs, and fees, Henderson v. State, 44 N.E.3d 811, 814 (Ind.Ct.App.2015), and the conditions of a defendant’s probation, Whitener v. State, 982 N.E.2d 439, 446 (Ind.Ct.App.2013), trans. denied. An abuse of discretion occurs when a sentencing decision is “clearly against the logic and effect of the facts and circumstances before the court, or the reasonable, probable, and actual deductions to be drawn therefrom.” McElroy, 865 N.E.2d at 588 (citation omitted).

II. Fines, Costs, and Fees

If a trial court imposes costs or fines as a condition of probation, the court is statutorily required to conduct an indigency hearing. See Ind.Code § 33-37-2-3(a) (costs); Ind.Code § 35-38-l-18(a) *931 (fines). Although the hearing must be conducted after a judgment of conviction, see id. (referencing “convicted person[s]”), the relevant statutes do not otherwise dictate when the hearing is to be held, see Berry v. State, 950 N.E.2d 793, 802 (Ind.Ct.App.2011). Accordingly, unless the State files a petition to revoke a defendant’s probation for nonpayment of fines, costs, or fees, the trial court is free to postpone the hearing until the completion of the defendant’s sentence. See Johnson v. State, 27 N.E.3d 793, 795 & n. 1 (Ind.Ct.App.2015) (“A trial court acts within its authority when it chooses to wait and see if a defendant can pay probation fees before it finds the defendant indigent.”); see also Whedon v. State, 765 N.E.2d 1276, 1279 (Ind.2002) (holding “when fines or costs are imposed upon an indigent defendant, such a person may not be imprisoned for failure to pay the fines or costs”).

Meunier-Short contends a trial court may not impose costs or fines upon an indigent defendant. But we have previously held, “A defendant’s indigency does not shield him from all costs or fees related to his conviction.” Banks v. State, 847 N.E.2d 1050, 1051 (Ind.Ct.App.2006), trans. denied. An indigency determination merely prevents the defendant from being imprisoned for his inability to pay. Henderson, 44 N.E.3d at 815 (emphasizing “the trial court may in its discretion fine [the defendant] whether or not he is found to be indigent”); see also Berry, 950 N.E.2d at 803 n. 6 (noting the imposition of costs is an issue separate from the sanctions imposed for nonpayment). In short, Meunier-Short is mistaken.

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52 N.E.3d 927, 2016 WL 1533489, 2016 Ind. App. LEXIS 108, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/mason-w-meunier-short-v-state-of-indiana-indctapp-2016.