Robert Antoine Rosenbourgh v. State of Indiana

CourtIndiana Court of Appeals
DecidedSeptember 19, 2025
Docket24A-CR-01576
StatusPublished

This text of Robert Antoine Rosenbourgh v. State of Indiana (Robert Antoine Rosenbourgh v. State of Indiana) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Indiana Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Robert Antoine Rosenbourgh v. State of Indiana, (Ind. Ct. App. 2025).

Opinion

IN THE

Court of Appeals of Indiana Robert A. Rosenbourgh, FILED Appellant-Defendant Sep 19 2025, 8:41 am

CLERK Indiana Supreme Court Court of Appeals v. and Tax Court

State of Indiana, Appellee-Plaintiff

September 19, 2025 Court of Appeals Case No. 24A-CR-1576 Appeal from the La Porte Superior Court The Honorable Jaime M. Oss, Judge Trial Court Cause No. 46D01-2012-F4-001631

Opinion by Judge Felix Judges Pyle and Weissmann concur.

Court of Appeals of Indiana | Opinion 24A-CR-1576 | September 19, 2025 Page 1 of 18 Felix, Judge.

Statement of the Case [1] Robert Rosenbourgh violated the terms of his probation. As a result, the trial

court revoked Rosenbourgh’s probation and executed the remainder of his

suspended sentence. Although Rosenbourgh timely requested to appeal the

revocation, counsel did not file a notice of appeal until after the deadline to do

so. Between them, the parties raise several issues for our review, which we

restate as follows:

1. Whether extraordinarily compelling reasons exist to warrant restoring Rosenbourgh’s forfeited right to appeal; 2. Whether the trial court erred by revoking Rosenbourgh’s probation; 3. Whether the trial court abused its discretion by executing the remainder of Rosenbourgh’s suspended sentence.

Because we determine extraordinarily compelling reasons exist to resurrect

Rosenbourgh’s right to appeal, we address the merits of his appeal and affirm.

[2] We affirm.

Facts and Procedural History [3] In 2023, Rosenbourgh pled guilty to dealing in methamphetamine as a Level 4

felony. The trial court sentenced Rosenbourgh to six years, with two-and-a-half

years of those years executed as time served and the remaining three-and-a-half

years suspended to probation. As part of the terms of his probation,

Rosenbourgh agreed to notify probation within 24 hours if he was charged with

Court of Appeals of Indiana | Opinion 24A-CR-1576 | September 19, 2025 Page 2 of 18 a new criminal offense, report to probation appointments as directed, and not

possess illegal drugs or other drugs without a prescription.

[4] On January 2, 2024, the State filed a petition to revoke Rosenbourgh’s

probation, alleging that he violated the terms of his probation by committing a

new criminal offense—dealing in a narcotic drug as a Level 4 felony—and

possessing Percocet pills without a prescription. On January 10, the State filed

a second petition to revoke Rosenbourgh’s probation, alleging that

Rosenbourgh (1) committed six new felony criminal offenses, including

attempted murder, unlawful possession of a firearm by a serious violent felon,

pointing a firearm at another, and unlawful possession of a handgun; (2)

traveled outside the county without permission; and (3) failed to report to a

December 28, 2023, probation meeting. On February 5, the State filed a third

petition to revoke Rosenbourgh’s probation, alleging that he committed two

new criminal offenses: strangulation and domestic battery.

[5] At a hearing on all three petitions, Rosenbourgh admitted that he failed to

notify probation that he had been charged with new criminal offenses; he failed

to attend a probation appointment on December 28, 2023; and he possessed

Percocet pills. In addition to his admissions, Rosenbourgh’s probation officer

testified that Rosenbourgh did not notify her within 24 hours that he had been

charged with new criminal offenses, and that Rosenbourgh failed to report to

his December 28, 2023, probation appointment as directed.

Court of Appeals of Indiana | Opinion 24A-CR-1576 | September 19, 2025 Page 3 of 18 [6] The trial court found that Rosenbourgh violated the terms and conditions of his

probation when he (1) “failed to notify probation within 24 hours of the new

offenses charged,” (2) “possess[ed] the Percocet pills with no prescription,” and

(3) “failed to report to Probation on December 28, 2023.” Tr. Vol. II at 53.

The trial court revoked Rosenbourgh’s probation and ordered him to serve the

remaining two-and-a-half years of his suspended sentence in the Indiana

Department of Correction (“DOC”).

[7] After imposing the sanction, the trial court advised Rosenbourgh of his right to

appeal and asked him if he was “planning on appealing.” Tr. Vol. II at 56.

Rosenbourgh replied, “No.” Id. The trial court told Rosenbourgh, “So if you

do change your mind, . . . and you decide that you want to appeal, please let

[defense counsel] or the Court know, and then I will appoint a public defender

for you, okay?” Id. Rosenbourgh replied, “Thank you.” Id. at 57.

Rosenbourgh’s notice of appeal was due by May 20, 2024. See Ind. Appellate

Rule 9(A)(1).

[8] On May 14, 2024, the trial court received a letter, dated May 1, from

Rosenbourgh, titled “Appeal on Evidentiary Hearing Held,” (the “Appeal 1 Letter”). The Appeal Letter stated that Rosenbourgh was “requesting [an]

Appeal Hearing” and “appeal[ing the] hearing held 4/19/2024.” The trial

1 Rosenbourgh did not include in his appendix on appeal the Appeal Letter he sent to the trial court in May 2024. See Ind. Appellate Rule 50(B). We have taken judicial notice of the contents of that letter pursuant to Indiana Appellate Rule 27.

Court of Appeals of Indiana | Opinion 24A-CR-1576 | September 19, 2025 Page 4 of 18 court appointed a public defender to represent Rosenbourgh on May 15. On

June 3 and June 4, respectively, appointed counsel sought and received

permission from the trial court under Post–Conviction Rule 2 to file a belated

notice of appeal of Rosenbourgh’s probation revocation. Rosenbourgh, by

counsel, filed his belated notice of appeal on July 3, 2024. This appeal ensued.

Discussion and Decision 1. Extraordinarily Compelling Reasons Exist to Warrant Restoring Rosenbourgh’s Forfeited Right to Appeal

[9] The State argues on cross-appeal that Rosenbourgh forfeited his right to appeal

because he did not file the notice of appeal within the required thirty days, and

Post–Conviction Rule 2 (“PCR 2”) does not allow a belated appeal of post-

conviction rulings. See Ind. Appellate Rule 9(A)(5). Rosenbourgh did not 2 respond to the State’s allegation that we should dismiss his appeal. “In such a

circumstance, if we find prima facie error, we may reverse.” Amphonephong v.

State, 32 N.E.3d 825, 829–30 (Ind. Ct. App. 2015) (quoting Townsend v. State,

843 N.E.2d 972, 974 (Ind. Ct. App. 2006), trans. denied). “In this context, prima

facie is defined as at first sight, on first appearance, or on the face of it.” Id.

(internal quotation marks omitted).

2 We observe that Rosenbourgh’s appellate counsel sought and obtained from this court an extension of time in which to file a reply brief. However, counsel did not file a reply brief in this case.

Court of Appeals of Indiana | Opinion 24A-CR-1576 | September 19, 2025 Page 5 of 18 [10] To initiate an appeal, a party must file a notice of appeal within 30 days after

entry of a final judgment is noted in the chronological case summary. App. R.

9(A)(1). “[A] party loses his or her right to appeal for failing to file timely a

Notice of Appeal.” In re Adoption of O.R., 16 N.E.3d 965, 971 (Ind. 2014). As

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