People v. Tessin

547 N.W.2d 641, 450 Mich. 944
CourtMichigan Supreme Court
DecidedDecember 19, 1995
Docket103917, COA No. 160300
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 547 N.W.2d 641 (People v. Tessin) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Michigan Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
People v. Tessin, 547 N.W.2d 641, 450 Mich. 944 (Mich. 1995).

Opinion

547 N.W.2d 641 (1995)
450 Mich. 944

PEOPLE of the State of Michigan, Plaintiff-Appellant, Cross-Appellee
v.
Todd Collins TESSIN, Defendant-Appellee, Cross-Appellant.

No. 103917, COA No. 160300.

Supreme Court of Michigan.

December 19, 1995.

ORDER

On order of the Court, the application for leave to appeal and for leave to appeal as cross-appellant are considered. Pursuant to MCR 7.302(F)(1), in lieu of granting leave to appeal, we VACATE the directive of the Court of Appeals that there be a remand for an in-camera review of the victim's psychological counseling records. Our decision in People v. Stanaway, 446 Mich. 643, 521 N.W.2d 557 (1994), does not require such a hearing simply because psychological harm is the alleged "personal injury" which must be established to satisfy the "personal injury" element of first-degree criminal sexual conduct. Per Stanaway, the defendant must establish a "reasonable probability" that the records contain information material to his *642 defense. This the defendant has not done. In all other respects, leave to appeal and leave to appeal as cross-appellant are DENIED.

LEVIN, J., states as follows:

I would deny leave to appeal, but could join in an order granting leave to appeal, and dissent from the peremptory reversal of the Court of Appeals.

I

The decision of the Court of Appeals to remand to the trial court to conduct an in-camera review of the victim's psychological counseling records was not so devoid of reason as to justify peremptory reversal. The majority's decision to peremptorily reverse the decision of the Court of Appeals belittles its efforts, in the disposition of this case, as reflected in its carefully written opinion, and deprives Todd Collins Tessin and his counsel of an opportunity to fully brief and orally argue in support of the decision of the Court of Appeals.

Today's peremptory order reflects an increasingly common method of deciding cases, a method that does not provide safeguards against hasty and ill-considered decisions, a method that is unsafe.

When this Court grants leave to appeal, there is an opportunity to educate the justices concerning the state of the record and the law through oral argument, as well as visually through briefs. A justice who may have missed a significant point of law or fact on perusal of the materials considered before voting for peremptory reversal might be enlightened and persuaded in the course of oral argument.

Also lost, when this Court acts without plenary consideration, is the opportunity for conference discussion after oral argument.

Under the Court's rules of internal procedure, also lost in this case was an opportunity for conference discussion after circulation of the peremptory order and this dissenting statement.

Peremptory disposition, without plenary consideration, full briefing, oral argument, and an opportunity for the profession to file briefs as amici curiae, should be reserved for cases in which the law is settled and factual assessment is not required.[1] In the instant *643 case, factual and legal assessment is required. The majority concludes, without reasoned explanation, that Tessin did not establish "[p]er Stanaway" a "`reasonable probability' that the records contain information material to his defense." There is no decision of this Court or reported decision of the Court of Appeals explicating what constitutes such a "reasonable probability." Peremptory disposition is not appropriate.

II

Tessin was convicted of first-degree criminal sexual conduct. The Court of Appeals[2] affirmed the CSC conviction provisionally, and vacated an habitual offender conviction.[3]

The convictions stem from a sexual assault on a sixteen-year-old male person. The conviction was based on žž 520b(1)(g)[4] of the Penal Code respecting sexual penetration of a person where the defendant causes personal injury to the victim and has reason to know that the victim is mentally incapacitated.

Respecting the "personal injury" element, the Court of Appeals said in relevant part:

Defendant first challenges the trial court's denial of his motion to discover the victim's psychological counseling records subsequent to the assault. Defendant asserts that the trial court's determination violated his constitutional and discovery rights. We agree to the extent that the court erred in not reviewing the records in camera.
The United States Supreme Court has determined that due process mandates that a defendant may have access to another's privileged records as long as the state legislature has not made the privilege absolute and the records may be material to the defendant's defense. Pennsylvania v. Ritchie, 480 US 39, 58; 107 SCt 989 [1001-1002]; 94 LEd2d 40 (1987). This Court has determined that the psychologist-patient privilege, codified at MCL 330.17850; MSA 14.800(750), cannot absolutely bar the introduction of privileged materials into evidence without violating a defendant's constitutional right to confrontation. People v Adamski, 198 MichApp 133, 139-140; 497 NW2d 546 (1993).
Further, our Supreme Court held that where a defendant can establish a reasonable probability that privileged counseling records are likely to contain material information necessary to the defense, the trial court should conduct an in-camera review of the privileged records to ascertain whether they contain evidence necessary to the defense. People v. Stanaway, 446 Mich 643, 677; 521 NW2d 557 (1994). Where the records are protected by an absolute privilege, such as the psychiatrist/psychologist-patient privilege, M.C.L. ž 333.1750; M.S.A. ž 14.800(750), the complainant must waive the statutory privilege after the defendant's motion for an in-camera review is granted; otherwise, the motion for an in-camera review is granted; otherwise, the complainant's testimony is to be suppressed as a sanction. Id. at 684 [521 N.W.2d 557]. The information should be provided to the defendant if the in-camera inspection reveals that it is essential and necessary to the defense. Id.

In the instant matter, the trial court refused to allow defendant's counsel unfettered access to the victim's records. This was not error. However, the trial court also refused to conduct an in-camera review of the records in question, concluding *644 that the privilege bar is absolute. This was error. Defendant made a sufficient showing that there was a reasonable probability that the victim's records may contain material and relevant information.

First, defendant correctly observed that the prosecutor sought to prove the personal injury element required by M.C.L. ž 750.520b(1)(g); M.S.A. ž 28.788(2)(1)(g) with evidence that the assault caused mental anguish to the victim. Second, defendant contended that the victim consented to the sexual act and later changed his mind. Accordingly, defendant submitted sufficient proof to obtain at least an in-camera review of the victim's records.
Plaintiff argues that it could not be compelled to disclose the victim's records via a discovery motion because it did not have the victim's records in its possession. Plaintiff asserts that defendant should have subpoenaed the keeper of the victim's records.

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Bluebook (online)
547 N.W.2d 641, 450 Mich. 944, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-tessin-mich-1995.