People v. Hamilton

241 Cal. Rptr. 3d 765, 30 Cal. App. 5th 673
CourtCalifornia Court of Appeal, 5th District
DecidedDecember 21, 2018
DocketD073034
StatusPublished
Cited by8 cases

This text of 241 Cal. Rptr. 3d 765 (People v. Hamilton) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering California Court of Appeal, 5th District primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
People v. Hamilton, 241 Cal. Rptr. 3d 765, 30 Cal. App. 5th 673 (Cal. Ct. App. 2018).

Opinion

IRION, J.

*675A jury convicted former United States Postal Service employee Robert L. Hamilton of three counts of making a false or fraudulent statement *676for the purpose of obtaining compensation under the California workers' compensation law in violation of Insurance Code section 1871.4, subdivision (a)(1).

Hamilton makes two arguments on appeal. First, he contends that because, as a federal employee, his workers' compensation benefits were provided under the Federal Employment Compensation Act ( 5 U.S.C. §§ 8101 - 8152 ) (FECA), the doctrine of federal preemption bars him from being prosecuted under California law for any offense alleging fraud in obtaining federal workers' compensation benefits under FECA. Second, Hamilton contends that regardless of whether the prosecution is preempted, insufficient evidence supports his conviction under Insurance Code section 1871.4, subdivision (a)(1) because that statute applies only to false or fraudulent statements made for the purpose of obtaining compensation afforded under the California workers' compensation law, which was not applicable to him as a federal employee.

On the issue of federal preemption, we conclude that Hamilton has not met his burden to establish that the People's prosecution of him is preempted. With respect to the sufficiency of the evidence, we agree with the People's concession that insufficient evidence supports Hamilton's convictions because he did not receive compensation under the California workers' compensation law. Finally, we decline to exercise our discretion to modify the judgment to impose convictions on a lesser included offense. Accordingly, the judgment is reversed.

I.

FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND

Hamilton was working as a letter carrier for the United States Postal Service when he was injured on the job on November 28, 2014, due to slipping and falling while delivering packages. After Hamilton completed a federal form describing the nature of *771his injury and how it occurred, Hamilton was referred to a doctor by the United States Department of Labor. The doctor noted that Hamilton complained of pain in his back and his knees due to the injury. Over the next several months, Hamilton continued to visit the doctor, who completed federal forms attesting to Hamilton's inability to return to work due to persistent medical problems. Among other things, the doctor's evaluation of Hamilton's inability to return to work was based on Hamilton's statement that he could drive only short distances, had persistent pain which required the use of narcotics, and needed to use a cane or walker to get around. *677Based on Hamilton's temporary total disability as attested to by the doctor, beginning on January 13, 2015, Hamilton began receiving wage replacement compensation from the United States Department of Labor under FECA ( 5 U.S.C. §§ 8101 - 8152 ), which provides the remedy for a federal employee's work-related injury.1

After a co-worker saw Hamilton at a casino in March 2015, a federal agent was assigned to conduct surveillance of Hamilton. The surveillance revealed that Hamilton was able to perform certain physical acts that he told his doctor were impossible. Specifically, the doctor was shown surveillance videos of Hamilton and concluded that Hamilton had exaggerated or misrepresented some aspects of his medical condition.

After Hamilton became aware that he was being investigated, he returned to work on August 26, 2015, and then retired on September 1, 2015. Thus, Hamilton received wage replacement compensation from the Department of Labor pursuant to FECA from January 13 to August 25, 2015.

The District Attorney in San Diego County filed a criminal complaint against Hamilton on April 13, 2016, which charged Hamilton with eight counts of violating Insurance Code section 1871.4, subdivision (a)(1). After a preliminary hearing, the court found probable cause for only three of the counts, and an information was filed alleging three counts based on Insurance Code section 1871.4, subdivision (a)(1). Specifically, as stated in the jury instructions, the three counts were based on Hamilton's alleged misrepresentations to the doctor on May 20, May 27, and July 10, 2015 about his use of a cane or walker and about the limitations on the distance he could drive in light of the pain he was experiencing.

The jury found Hamilton guilty on all three counts. The trial court placed Hamilton on formal probation for a period of three years and ordered that he serve 180 days in custody, with the intention that Hamilton serve the term of custody in home detention with electronic monitoring, if he was eligible.

*678Among other things, the *772trial court also ordered that Hamilton pay $11,972 in victim restitution to the United States Department of Labor.

II.

DISCUSSION

A. Federal Preemption Does Not Prevent State Law Prosecutions Based on a Federal Employee's Fraud in Obtaining Compensation Under FECA

We first consider Hamilton's contention that the People are barred by the doctrine of federal preemption from prosecuting him for any state law violation committed when he wrongfully obtaining benefits under FECA.2

"The supremacy clause of the United States Constitution establishes a constitutional choice-of-law rule, makes federal law paramount, and vests Congress with the power to preempt state law. ... There are four species of federal preemption: express, conflict, obstacle, and field. ... [¶] First, express preemption arises when Congress 'define[s] explicitly the extent to which its enactments pre-empt state law. [Citation.] Pre-emption fundamentally is a question of congressional intent, [citation], and when Congress has made its intent known through explicit statutory language, the courts' task is an easy one.' ... Second, conflict preemption will be found when simultaneous compliance with both state and federal directives is impossible. ... Third, obstacle preemption arises when ' "under the circumstances of [a] particular case, [the challenged state law] stands as an obstacle to the accomplishment and execution of the full purposes and objectives of Congress." ' ... Finally, field preemption, i.e., 'Congress' intent to pre-empt all state law in a particular area,' applies 'where the scheme of federal regulation is sufficiently comprehensive to make reasonable the inference that Congress "left no room" for supplementary state regulation.' ... [¶] ' "[C]ourts are reluctant to infer preemption, and it is the burden of the party claiming that Congress intended to preempt state law to prove it." ' " ( Viva! Internat. Voice for Animals v.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
241 Cal. Rptr. 3d 765, 30 Cal. App. 5th 673, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-hamilton-calctapp5d-2018.