People v. Wagner

64 Cal. Rptr. 3d 367, 154 Cal. App. 4th 81
CourtCalifornia Court of Appeal
DecidedAugust 14, 2007
DocketC052049
StatusPublished

This text of 64 Cal. Rptr. 3d 367 (People v. Wagner) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering California Court of Appeal primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
People v. Wagner, 64 Cal. Rptr. 3d 367, 154 Cal. App. 4th 81 (Cal. Ct. App. 2007).

Opinion

64 Cal.Rptr.3d 367 (2007)
154 Cal.App.4th 81

The PEOPLE, Plaintiff and Respondent,
v.
David Eric WAGNER, Defendant and Appellant.

No. C052049.

Court of Appeal of California, Third District.

August 14, 2007.

*368 John Doyle, under appointment by the Court of Appeal, Los Angeles, for Defendant and Appellant.

*369 Bill Lockyer, Attorney General, Mary Jo Graves, Chief Assistant Attorney General, Michael P. Farrell, Assistant Attorney General, Charles A. French and Angelo S. Edralin, Deputy Attorneys General, for Plaintiff and Respondent.

DAVIS, Acting P.J.

In this appeal we conclude that the speedy sentencing rights provided by Penal Code sections 1381 and 1203.2a apply to a probation revocation proceeding where imposition of sentence was originally suspended. These two sections provide a defendant with alternative methods for obtaining sentencing.[1] Here, in a probation revocation proceeding, the trial court sentenced defendant beyond the 90-day time period mandated by section 1381. Because counsel was ineffective in failing to timely move to dismiss, the revocation proceeding must be voided (as it should have been dismissed on this jurisdictional basis) and the sentence imposed at that proceeding must be vacated. Finally, we conclude that under section 1387 the People may refile the probation revocation proceeding, obtain a summary revocation of probation, and seek a revocation order and sentence (which accounts for all time served) before defendant's tolled probationary period ends on November 9, 2007.

BACKGROUND

On October 31, 2003, defendant David Eric Wagner pleaded no contest in Yolo Superior Court case No. CRF 03-6456 to a single count of violating Health and Safety Code section 11379, subdivision (a) (unlawful transportation of a controlled substance), and admitted a prior conviction within the meaning of Health and Safety Code section 11370.2 (prior conviction involving a controlled substance). The trial court suspended imposition of sentence and placed defendant on probation for three years pursuant to Proposition 36 (drug treatment program).

On July 12, 2005, the Yolo County Probation Office petitioned to revoke defendant's probation. The petition alleged that defendant had violated his probation by being convicted in Sacramento Superior Court on February 2, 2005, of two felonies—(1) receipt of stolen property (§ 496, subd. (a)) and (2) possession of a controlled substance (Health & Saf.Code, § 11377, subd. (a))—for which he was currently serving a 16-month prison sentence.

Sometime thereafter in July 2005, defendant was given a form, dated July 19, 2005, titled "Inmate Notification of Detainer Receipt." The form indicated that a detainer had been filed against defendant: he was wanted by the West Sacramento Police Department on charges of "H & S 11379(A), Warrant Number ... 03-6456." The form added that he could "request disposition of untried charges in accordance with Section 1381 P.C."

Defendant sent a section 1381 trial-sentencing demand for his alleged probation violation to the Yolo County District Attorney, postmarked July 22, 2005. The demand was stamped as received by the district attorney's office on July 26, 2005. The matter was set for hearing in Yolo Superior Court on September 8, 2005.

On September 8, defendant informed the Yolo Superior Court that his prison release date on his February 2005 Sacramento convictions was September 28, 2005. The probation revocation matter was continued until October 6, 2005.

On October 6, defendant requested that the probation matter be set for hearing and a preadmission report. The deputy district attorney mistakenly represented to *370 the court that her office had received defendant's section 1381 demand on July 28, 2005 (it was actually received July 26). The court clerk calculated the 90-day deadline specified in section 1381 (this deadline applies to both trial on new charges and sentencing on old ones), from the receipt date of July 28, as October 26. Accordingly, the court set the hearing for October 25, 2005.

On October 25, defense counsel, noting possible time issues involving sections 1381 or 1203.2, nevertheless requested a continuance to later in the week to discuss a possible resolution. The matter was continued to the next day. On that day, October 26, defendant requested a one-week continuance to consult with the probation office. Defendant entered a time waiver from the October 26 date forward, and the court continued the matter.

On December 2, 2005, defendant moved to dismiss the probation revocation proceeding pursuant to section 1203.2a, alleging the Yolo Superior Court lost jurisdiction to sentence him. The Yolo court denied defendant's motion and defendant admitted the probation violation.

On February 27, 2006, the Yolo Superior Court sentenced defendant to a five-year term in state prison, from which defendant has appealed.

DISCUSSION

1. Application of Section 1381 to Probation Revocation Proceedings

Defendant contends the Yolo Superior Court lost jurisdiction over his probation revocation proceeding for failing to sentence him within 90 days of the district attorney's receipt of his section 1381 trial-sentencing demand for his probation violation. We agree.

Section 1381 provides in pertinent part:

"Whenever a defendant has been convicted, in any court of this state, of the commission of a felony ... and has been sentenced to and has entered upon a term of imprisonment ... and at the time of the entry upon the term of imprisonment ... there is pending, in any court of this state, any other indictment, information, complaint, or any criminal proceeding wherein the defendant remains to be sentenced, the district attorney of the county in which the matters are pending shall bring the defendant to trial or for sentencing within 90 days after the person shall have delivered to said district attorney written notice of the place of his or her imprisonment ... and his or her desire to be brought to trial or for sentencing unless a continuance beyond the 90 days is requested or consented to by the person, in open court.... In the event that the defendant is not brought to trial or for sentencing within the 90 days the court in which the charge or sentencing is pending shall, on motion or suggestion of the district attorney, or of the defendant ... or his or her counsel ... or on its own motion, dismiss the action."

As this court has noted, the principal purpose "of section 1381 `is to permit a defendant to obtain concurrent sentencing at the hands of the court in which the earlier proceeding is pending, if such is the court's discretion.'" (People v. Boggs (1985) 166 Cal.App.3d 851, 855, 212 Cal. Rptr. 683 (Boggs), quoting Boles v. Superior Court (1974) 37 Cal.App.3d 479, 484, 112 Cal.Rptr. 286 (Boles); see also § 669 [§ 669 provides that sentences default to concurrent if the trial court fails to order otherwise].) Section 1381 also acts to clean up pending charges, limit anxiety attendant to unresolved charges, and avoid prolonged imprisonment. (Boggs, supra, 166 Cal.App.3d at p. 855, 212 Cal.Rptr. 683; see also People v. Broughton (2003) *371 107 Cal.App.4th 307, 319, 133 Cal.Rptr.2d 161 (Broughton).)

Section 1381 applies, as relevant here, to any person who, at the time of entry upon the term of imprisonment for a California felony conviction, has "pending ...

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Rudman v. Superior Court
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People v. Cave
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People v. Ruster
40 Cal. App. 3d 865 (California Court of Appeal, 1974)
People v. Young
228 Cal. App. 3d 171 (California Court of Appeal, 1991)
Boles v. Superior Court
37 Cal. App. 3d 479 (California Court of Appeal, 1974)
People v. Hall
59 Cal. App. 4th 972 (California Court of Appeal, 1997)
People v. Broughton
133 Cal. Rptr. 2d 161 (California Court of Appeal, 2003)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
64 Cal. Rptr. 3d 367, 154 Cal. App. 4th 81, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-wagner-calctapp-2007.