People v. Barbosa

849 N.E.2d 152, 365 Ill. App. 3d 297, 302 Ill. Dec. 537, 2006 Ill. App. LEXIS 420
CourtAppellate Court of Illinois
DecidedMay 22, 2006
Docket4-04-1071
StatusPublished
Cited by8 cases

This text of 849 N.E.2d 152 (People v. Barbosa) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Appellate Court of Illinois primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
People v. Barbosa, 849 N.E.2d 152, 365 Ill. App. 3d 297, 302 Ill. Dec. 537, 2006 Ill. App. LEXIS 420 (Ill. Ct. App. 2006).

Opinion

JUSTICE STEIGMANN

delivered the opinion of the court:

In November 2004, a jury convicted defendant, Luis Barbosa, of domestic battery (720 ILCS 5/12 — 3.2(a)(1) (West 2004)). The trial court later sentenced him to 18 months in prison and ordered him to pay fees and costs, including $750 in public-defender fees.

Defendant appeals, arguing only that the trial court erred by ordering him to pay the $750 public-defender fee without considering his ability to pay. Because we agree, we vacate that part of the trial court’s sentencing order and remand for a hearing on defendant’s ability to pay for such services, pursuant to section 113 — 3.1 of the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963 (Code) (725 ILCS 5/113 — 3.1 (West 2004)).

I. BACKGROUND

In November 2004, a jury convicted defendant of domestic battery, and the trial court later sentenced him as stated. At the conclusion of a December 2004 hearing on defendant’s motion to reconsider his sentence, the trial court denied his motion and the following colloquy occurred:

“THE COURT: *** [Defense counsel], the only thing that remains is the amount of time you have in this case. So, I can make an assertion of the amount of reimbursement of the [p]ublic[-] [d]efender fees.
[DEFENSE COUNSEL]: I mean, the trial and—
THE COURT: I am aware of that. You have an estimate of the amount of time that you have invested in this case?
[DEFENSE COUNSEL]: Oh, I would say it would be[,] given the trial[,] in excess of 15 hours.
THE COURT: Okay. [Defendant], any reason why the amount of $750 for reimbursement of Ford County [p]ublie[-][d]efender fees is not an appropriate amount?
[DEFENDANT]: Excuse me?
THE COURT: Any reason why the figure of $750 for reimbursement to the Ford County [p]ublic[-] [d] efender fees is not an appropriate amount?
[DEFENDANT]: Sure. It is not an appropriate amount.
THE COURT: I think you are not happy with the result but the time involved more than just—
[DEFENDANT]: There was no time involvedf,] just the little bit that he claimed here for trial. That was it.
THE COURT: Okay. Well, you acknowledge that we had the better part of a day in trial. All right.
[DEFENDANT]: The better part of a day?
THE COURT: Pardon.
[DEFENDANT]: Is that what you said, a better part of a day in trial?
THE COURT: Do you think you can hire an attorney for preparation for trial and a day’s worth of time or a half day’s worth of trial for $750, sir?
[DEFENDANT]: You been doing everything you guys want to. Certainly, [y]our [h]onor, you go ahead. I am at the mercy of this [c]ourt. So you go ahead.
THE COURT: [Defendant], I asked you a question. It’s a simple answer. Do you think you can hire an attorney for that, to perform or defend you in this case? The record reflects — [defendant] any other argument you want [to make] regarding the reasonableness of this fee? Any other argument or estimate you want to make regarding the reasonableness of that amount?
[DEFENDANT]: I want to appeal.
THE COURT: I am going to shortly advise you of your right to appeal. This is your opportunity to—
[DEFENDANT]: What opportunity, [y]our [h]onor? Your [h]onor, I had no opportunity here in this room. All my rights have been violated in this [c]ourt. What opportunity did I have here?
THE COURT: [Defendant], one more time. You want to make any other statement, argument, objections to the amount of $750 as reasonable?
[DEFENDANT]: Yeah, I object to the $750.
THE COURT: All right. What’s your objection to it?
[DEFENDANT]: How many hours — I mean, how many hours did he work with me on this?
THE COURT: You heard [defense counsel’s] representation of the total amount of time.
[DEFENDANT]: The record in this case reflects and then he was a [c]ourt[-]appointed attorney. How can I pay for a [c]ourt[-] appointed attorney?
THE COURT: [Defendant], you were admonished at the time I appointed [defense counsel] that you would be required to reimburse the county for all or part of the cost for your defense. [DEFENDANT]: Uh-huh.
THE COURT: So, you have anything else you want to tell me why, about why you do not think that’s a reasonable figure for time expended by—
[DEFENDANT]: The 15 hours. I don’t believe it was 15 hours that he worked with me on this.
THE COURT: Well, do you acknowledge that we were here on the 15th to pick a jury, 15th of November and picked a jury; correct?
[DEFENDANT]: Yeah.
THE COURT: Okay. And then we were here on the 17th?
[DEFENDANT]: Which was?
THE COURT: For a jury trial. Correct, correct, [defendant]?
[DEFENDANT]: I plead the 5th on this one, [y]our [h]onor. I am, I am not going to say — I am not going to answer anymore [sic] questions.
THE COURT: Okay. Well, the record then reflects that you have declined an opportunity to make any further argument or any objections to the fees. All right. $750 is more than reasonable for [p]ublic[-][d]efender fees reimbursement in this case. All right.”

The court then advised defendant of his appeal rights and the hearing concluded.

This appeal followed.

II. THE TRIAL COURT’S ORDER THAT DEFENDANT PAY $750 FOR HIS PUBLIC DEFENDER

Defendant argues that the trial court erred by ordering him to pay a $750 public-defender fee without considering defendant’s ability to pay. We agree.

Section 113 — 3.1(a) of the Code provides, in pertinent part, as follows:

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2013 IL App (4th) 120137 (Appellate Court of Illinois, 2013)
People v. Somers
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People v. Elcock
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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
849 N.E.2d 152, 365 Ill. App. 3d 297, 302 Ill. Dec. 537, 2006 Ill. App. LEXIS 420, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-barbosa-illappct-2006.