STATE EX REL. JUV. DEPT. OF COOS CTY. v. Welch

501 P.2d 991, 12 Or. App. 400
Court of Appeals of Oregon·Decided November 22, 1972·Published·Cited by 13 cases

Opinions

FOLEY, J.

On September 28, 1971, a petition was filed in the Coos.County Court, Juvenile Department, alleging that Dion Arthur Welch, age 13, murdered another boy by shooting him with a shotgun. On .September 29, 1971 an amended petition was filed in the same court alleging essentially the same facts. On November 22, 1971-;- -the petitioner moved- for permission to file a second amended petition and for an extension of 60 days in which to bring the matter before the court. The court granted the motion, ordering that a new petition be filed by November 30, 1971, and that the [403] ■time for hearing the matter be extended to January 25, 1972.

On January 4 and January 6, 1972, motions were filed on behalf of the child to dismiss the petitions based on the fact that no summons or certified copy of the petition had been served on the boy or his parents. These motions were heard on January 6, [404]*4041972. After being advised that the parents had been served that morning but that the boy had not been served, the court ordered a recess and ordered that the sheriff be called to serve him during the recess. Thereafter, motions on behalf of the child to dismiss were denied. At the same hearing a jury trial was requested for the child and this request was also denied.

On January 10, 1972, the proceedings against the boy were continued. At that time the petition was amended by the prosecuting attorney with the consent of the boy’s counsel, and service was waived as to the amendment. The amendment changed the alleged conduct from acts tantamount to first degree murder to acts tantamount to second degree murder. Counsel for the child admitted the facts as set forth in the amended petition, and further admitted that these facts brought him within the jurisdiction of the juvenile court. The court then asked the parents and the child if they were willing that the admission by the boy’s counsel be made. Each stated that he was so willing, and thereupon the admission was accepted by the court.

On February 14, 1972, the court reconvened for the purpose of determining disposition of the child. The report submitted to the court by the Coos County Juvenile Department recommended placement at the Children’s Farm Home in Corvallis, but the court rejected that recommendation and ordered him placed in [405] the custody of the Children’s Services Division for placement at MacLaren School for Boys for an indeterminate term.

On appeal the boy asserts that the juvenile court erred in (1) denying his motions to dismiss; (2) denying his request for a-jury trial; and (3) accepting his admission of the juvenile court’s jurisdiction without determining that the admission was voluntary and understanding. In addition, the child contends that the juvenile court abused its discretion in the disposition stage of the proceeding.

The first assignment of error asserts that the notice afforded the child was improper, and that therefore his motions to dismiss should have been granted. This assignment has no merit. A reading of the requirements of ORS 419.484 (3) and 419.486 shows that these statutes were complied with. Certified copies of the petition, together with the summons, were served upon the boy and his parents on January 6,1972, some 38 days after the petition was filed. The time set for hearing was January 10,1972, four days after the summons were served. Even if ORS 419.486 (3) is read to mean that the summons must be served at least 24 hours prior to the time fixed for the hearing, there was compliance in this instance.

[406] ' It is urged on behalf of the child that even if the notice statutes were complied with, the notice afforded was deficient in light of In re Gault, 387 US 1, 87 S Ct 1428, 18 L Ed 2d 527 (1967). Gault simply established a general standard:

“* * * Notice, to comply with due process requirements, must be given sufficiently in advance of scheduled court proceedings so that reasonable opportunity to prepare will be afforded, and it must ‘set forth the alleged misconduct with particularity.’ * * *” In re Gault, supra, 387 US at 33.

" Under the facts of Gault, where notice was given on the day of the hearing on the merits and the child had no counsel, the notice given was held to be constitutionally infirm.

In the instant case the boy was represented by counsel at least as early as October 1,1971, and counsel made numerous motions on his behalf. Moreover, counsel indicated to the juvenile court that he was ready to try the case between Christmas and New Tears. Under these circumstances it is clear that there was adequate actual notice and that the “fair treatment” mandated by Gault was afforded.

The second contention, that the trial court erred in denying the child’s request- for a jury trial, is also without merit. That juveniles are not entitled to trial by jury was settled by the United States Supreme Court in McKeiver v. Pennsylvania, 403 US 528, 91 S Ct 1976, 29 L Ed 2d 647 (1971); ORS 419.498 (1); State [407] v. Turner, 253 Or 235, 453 P2d 910 (1969); State v. Arenas, 253 Or 215, 453 P2d 915 (1969).

The third assignment of error is that the' juvenile court erred in accepting the child’s admission of the court’s jurisdiction without determining that the admission was voluntary and understanding.

At the hearing of January 10, 1972, the prosecuting attorney, defense counsel and the representative of the juvenile department stipulated, with the court’s approval, that the petition would be amended so as to allege conduct which would be tantamount to second degree murder if committed by an adult rather than conduct tantamount to first degree murder, as originally alleged. Thereafter, the following colloquy took place:

“MR. WELCH [defense counsel]: At this time, your Honor, on behalf of the defendant, Dion Arthur Welch, we admit that the facts as set forth in the Petition as amended, and as amended by interlineation, are true; and further admit that those facts define a crime or an offense, which if committed by an adult, would be a crime; and further admit that the facts as stated bring the child within the jurisdiction of this Juvenile Court.
“THE COURT: Let me ask the father. Are you willing that this admission be made on behalf of your son?
' “MR. ARTHUR WELCH: I am, your Honor!
“THE COURT: Let me ask the mother. Are you willing that this admission be made on behalf of your son?
“MRS. ARTHUR WELCH: Yes, your Honor.
. “THE COURT: Dion, do you admit this ? Do you admit the complaint as your attorney has just ■ skid that he was going to admit, for you? . ■■ •;:! ..

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STATE EX REL. JUV. DEPT. OF COOS CTY. v. Welch, 501 P.2d 991, 12 Or. App. 400 (Or. Ct. App. 1972).

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STATE EX REL. JUV. DEPT. OF COOS CTY. v. Welch
501 P.2d 991 (Court of Appeals of Oregon, 1972)