People v. Strickland

569 N.E.2d 1202, 211 Ill. App. 3d 183, 155 Ill. Dec. 591, 1991 Ill. App. LEXIS 526
CourtAppellate Court of Illinois
DecidedMarch 29, 1991
Docket4-90-0257
StatusPublished
Cited by11 cases

This text of 569 N.E.2d 1202 (People v. Strickland) 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. Strickland, 569 N.E.2d 1202, 211 Ill. App. 3d 183, 155 Ill. Dec. 591, 1991 Ill. App. LEXIS 526 (Ill. Ct. App. 1991).

Opinions

JUSTICE STEIGMANN

delivered the opinion of the court:

The peculiar procedural history of this case requires this court to analyze section 5—6—4 of the Unified Code of Corrections (Code) (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1989, ch. 38, par. 1005—6—4), which deals with both revocations and modifications of probation, and to distinguish between the procedural requirements involved when the State seeks to have a defendant’s probation revoked as opposed to when the defendant’s probation is merely modified.

In August 1985, defendant, Debra Strickland, a/k/a Debra Rucks, pleaded guilty to theft of property (a diamond ring) having a value in excess of $300 (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1985, ch. 38, par. 16—1) and was placed on probation for 18 months, subject to certain conditions. These conditions included that she pay court costs of $104.20 in 12 equal monthly installments, perform 120 hours of public service work, and report to the Champaign County court services department as directed.

In February 1987, the State filed a petition to revoke probation, alleging that defendant had violated the conditions of her probation by making no payments toward court costs, completing no public service, and not reporting to the court services department as directed.

In April 1987, defendant admitted and stipulated to certain allegations of that petition, and the court entered judgment in favor of the State and against defendant.

In May 1987, the court resentenced defendant to probation, but this time the period of probation was 24 months. As conditions of probation, defendant was again ordered to pay court costs within the first 12 months of probation, to perform 120 hours of public service work, and to report to the court services department as directed. As an additional condition of probation, defendant was ordered to make restitution through the circuit clerk of Champaign County, which was to be paid in full within the first 12 months of probation. The amount of restitution, however, was not determined at that time.

In March 1989, a hearing on the amount of restitution was held. Defendant appeared personally and with her counsel. The State’s Attorney recited a stipulation (which the court accepted) that defendant’s restitution for the ring should be in the amount of $1,500. The court and counsel agreed that because defendant’s probation was due to expire in May 1989, the term of her probation would have to be extended so that she would have time to pay the restitution ordered. The prosecutor suggested the court set a hearing at some future date to assess compliance with the restitution order and, if necessary, to take evidence at that hearing regarding defendant’s ability to pay restitution. Defendant’s counsel agreed, and defendant’s probation was extended for an additional three years, until May 1992. The court noted that the only condition of defendant’s probation for the next three years would be the payment of restitution. The March 1989 hearing concluded with the following statement by the trial court: “And for that specific purpose, cause continued to September 27, 1989 — that’s six months — at 9:30 a.m. for a status report on restitution.” An amended certificate of probation was entered on that date, consistent with the orders stated in open court.

Two weeks prior to the September 27, 1989, “status hearing,” the court services department submitted a “probation violation report” (report) to the court and counsel, which read in part as follows:

“Regarding the matter of payment of restitution: To date, Ms. Rucks has made no payments whatsoever, with a balance due of $1,500.00. On 09/12/89 Ms. Rucks contacted this officer by phone. She stated that she will make no payments for restitution now or in the future, further indicating that she has requested that restitution be discharged in bankruptcy proceedings.”

At the hearing on September 27, 1989, the prosecutor referred to the report and stated, “It’s clear to me that we have *** the best case I have ever seen for a willful disregard for the Court’s Order, and I want to proceed accordingly.” Defendant’s counsel stipulated to the accuracy of the report and indicated defendant was ready to testify regarding her inability to pay restitution. In response, the prosecutor stated the following:

“Judge, I don’t know whether I am seeking to have the probation here granted to be terminated and have a resentencing on the matter. I suppose it may be that I’ll have to file an official Petition. As such, I think this is a status hearing. The evidence is clear from the report here for the court to consider. This is a classic case of a willful disregard of the Court’s Order to pay restitution. And we want to act accordingly.”

The prosecutor never told the court what he thought “acting accordingly” would be.

After noting that the parties had stipulated to the report, the court permitted defendant to testify in her own behalf. She described in some detail her limited financial resources and her intention to seek legal aid to file for bankruptcy. No other evidence was presented. At the conclusion of the hearing, the prosecutor stated the following: “[M]y position is that I’d ask the Court to *** enter an order to vacate this probation and to allot it for a re-sentencing ***. She might even be subject to, and may be a great candidate, for Intensive [probation supervision (IPS)] care, because they would look to her needs as well as would look to her needs day to day to day to find out exactly what we are dealing with here.”

Defendant’s counsel disagreed with the State that defendant’s failure to pay restitution had been wilful, arguing instead that defendant was “a woman struggling to get some sort of ability to survive.” Defense counsel further stated that she thought there was no need for defendant to be on IPS because defendant was consulting with social services agencies that might be able to help her and there was “no need to burden [IPS] with that.”

After the court reviewed the evidence and arguments, it stated the following:

“Based on everything that I’ve indicated, and plus the fact that it’s been established that Ms. Strickland has not paid one penny of this restitution, plus her statements of her future intent not to pay any, I find that she’s in violation of probation. And I’m scheduling this matter for re-sentencing to November 2nd, 1989, at 11 A.M. Champaign County Court Services Officer to prepare Pre-Sentence Report and IPS Suitability Study.”

At the hearing on November 2, 1989, defendant was present personally and by her counsel. The court began the hearing by stating, “Cause called for re-sentencing. Pre-Sentence Report on file and read by the Court.” Both counsel indicated they had received that report and that neither was aware of any factual inaccuracies in it. Neither party offered any evidence. The prosecutor then stated the following:

“When we were here the last time and we had the hearing and the probation was revoked, it was my position then that this Defendant had actually just, in essence, thumbed her nose with respect to the condition of probation here, of restitution. It appears that she continues in that position with respect to not even seeking to qualify for the suitability with respect to [IPS].

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
569 N.E.2d 1202, 211 Ill. App. 3d 183, 155 Ill. Dec. 591, 1991 Ill. App. LEXIS 526, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-strickland-illappct-1991.