State v. Brandt

505 P.2d 1063, 19 Ariz. App. 172, 1973 Ariz. App. LEXIS 471
CourtCourt of Appeals of Arizona
DecidedFebruary 8, 1973
DocketNo. 1 CA-CR 403
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 505 P.2d 1063 (State v. Brandt) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Arizona primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State v. Brandt, 505 P.2d 1063, 19 Ariz. App. 172, 1973 Ariz. App. LEXIS 471 (Ark. Ct. App. 1973).

Opinion

DONOFRIO, Presiding Judge.

This is an appeal from an order revoking probation and imposing a sentence of one year to one year and one day in the Arizona State Prison on prior pleas of guilty to one count of assault with a deadly weapon and one count of battery.

We are called upon to determine the following questions:

1. Whether the actual serving and completion of the sentence imposed by the revocation order makes the defendant’s appeal “moot”; and
2. If this appeal is not “moot”, whether defendant’s statements at the revocation hearing that he was without counsel, without further inquiry as to waiver by the trial judge, constitutes a denial of appellant’s Sixth Amendment right to counsel and a deprivation of due process of law.

I. QUESTION OF MOOTNESS

The State has argued in its answering brief that the fact of appellant’s completion of service of sentence now makes his appeal moot. Counsel for appellant has argued, however, that there is a marked difference as to the benefits accruing to a probationer who has successfully completed his period of probation, as opposed to a defendant who has actually served a prison term. See A.R.S. §§ 13-[173]*1731741 through 13-1745, which deal generally with restoration of civil rights to a probationer or to a person discharged from prison. The most noteworthy of these sections are A.R.S. §§ 13-1743 and 13-1744 which provide:

“§ 13-1743. Application by persons discharged from prison

“A. Upon proper application, a person who has received an absolute discharge from imprisonment may have any civil rights which were lost or suspended by his conviction restored by the superior court judge by whom the person was sentenced or his successors in office from the county in which he was originally sentenced.
“B. A person who is subject to the provisions of subsection A may file, no sooner than two years from the date of his absolute discharge, an application for restoration of civil rights that shall be accompanied by a certificate of absolute discharge from the director of the department of corrections. The clerk of the superior court that sentenced the applicant shall have the responsibility for processing applications for restoration of civil rights upon request of the person involved, his attorney or a representative of the state department of corrections. The superior court shall cause a copy of the application to be served upon the county attorney. Added Laws 1970, Ch. 221, § 1, as amended Laws 1971, Ch. 159, § 2.” (emphasis added)

“13-1744. Right of discharged probationer to withdrawal of plea of guilty or vacation of verdict of conviction; release from disabilities; making of application; pleading of conviction in prosecution for subsequent offense

“Every defendant who has fulfilled the conditions of his probation for the entire period thereof or who shall have been discharged from probation prior to the termination of the period thereof may at any time thereafter be permitted by the court to withdraw his plea of guilty and enter a plea of not guilty, or if he has been convicted after a plea of not guilty, the court may set aside the verdict of guilty. In either case the court may thereupon dismiss the accusations or information against such defendant, who shall thereafter be released from all penalties and disabilities resulting from the offense or crime of which he has been convicted. The probationer shall be informed of this right and privilege in his probation papers. The probationer may make such application and change of plea in person or by attorney or by the probation officer authorized in writing, provided that in any subsequent prosecution of such defendant for any other offense, such prior conviction may be pleaded and proved and shall have the same effect as if probation had not been granted or the accusation or information dismissed. Added Laws 1970, Ch. 221, § 1.” (Emphasis added.)

As stated in A.R.S. § 13-1744, supra, a probationer, subsequent to the completion of his probation period, may move the court to set aside his plea of guilty or a verdict of guilty, and in addition, have his civil rights reinstated. A defendant who has actually served a prison sentence, however, may not subsequently have the plea or verdict set aside.

A determination that certain constitutional rights had not been safeguarded would be a fact to be considered by the Court in the event defendant should urge relief under A.R.S. § 13-1744 as one who has fulfilled the conditions of his probation. It could be that in some future proceedings the defendant could show that his probation should not have been revoked, and could show that having served his period of probation without violation of its terms he would be entitled to petition to have his plea set aside pursuant to A.R.S. § 13-1744. This appeal, therefore, is not moot. »

II. RIGHT TO COUNSEL

On May 17, 1967, the defendant was chargéd in an amended information in the [174]*174Superior Court of Maricopa County with one count of assault with a deadly weapon under A.R.S. § 13-249, and one count of aggravated battery under A.R.S. § 13-245, subsec. A. At that time defendant was represented by counsel and pleaded guilty to the above charges.

The trial judge then placed the defendant on probation and the imposition of sentence was suspended for a period of five years. No question is raised as to the validity of the original plea of guilty.

The conditions of defendant’s probation as ordered by the trial court were:

“That you conduct yourself as a law abiding citizen in every respect, do not indulge in alcoholic beverages of any kind or in any quantity, and under any circumstances; do not engage in narcotic traffic of any kind with any one, and when someone proposes this to you, you are instructed to cooperate with the police department. You are to report to the Probation Officer once each week by telephone or in writing, or in person, or as he may direct, until such time as he feels it appropriate to relax the reporting to once a month, you are to be subject to Nalline Tests at any time suggested by the Probation Officer with or without notice. You are to be gainfully employed at all times and are not to become a charge upon the County or the State at any time.”

On March 31, 1971, defendant appeared before the Superior Court of Maricopa County in a hearing concerning possible revocation of his probation and imposition of a prison sentence. The dialogue between the trial judge and the defendant was as follows:

“THE COURT: Cause Number CR-50689, State of Arizona versus Ronald F.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

State v. Scott
505 P.2d 1390 (Court of Appeals of Arizona, 1973)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
505 P.2d 1063, 19 Ariz. App. 172, 1973 Ariz. App. LEXIS 471, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-brandt-arizctapp-1973.