State v. Chavez-Juarez

923 N.E.2d 670, 185 Ohio App. 3d 189
CourtOhio Court of Appeals
DecidedNovember 20, 2009
DocketNo. 2009-CA-33
StatusPublished
Cited by21 cases

This text of 923 N.E.2d 670 (State v. Chavez-Juarez) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Ohio Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State v. Chavez-Juarez, 923 N.E.2d 670, 185 Ohio App. 3d 189 (Ohio Ct. App. 2009).

Opinion

Fain, Judge.

{¶ 1} Appellant, Martin Chavez-Juarez, appeals from an order overruling his motion for contempt, which he filed against unnamed officers of the United States Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency (“ICE”).

{¶ 2} Chavez-Juarez (“Chavez”) contends that the trial court erred in denying his motion for contempt, because the ICE agents deprived him of due process of law, equal protection of the law, and his right, under the Seventh Amendment to the United States Constitution, to a public hearing by intentionally interfering with his right to appear personally in his traffic case. Chavez further contends that the trial court erred in denying the motion for contempt, because the ICE agents deprived him of his right to counsel, under the Sixth Amendment to the United States Constitution, by illegally removing him from the jurisdiction and giving no notice of his whereabouts. Finally, Chavez contends that the trial court erred in denying the motion for contempt, because the ICE agents deprived him of his residual rights under the Ninth Amendment to the United States Constitution.

{¶ 3} We conclude that the trial court could not adjudicate the validity of the federal detainer, because the area of immigration and naturalization is within the exclusive jurisdiction of the federal government. If Chavez wished to challenge his detention by federal authorities, the proper avenue would have been to file a petition in the federal courts, not a motion for contempt in the state court, which does not have the power to adjudicate federal immigration issues. Whether the federal government violated Chavez’s rights during the immigration process is a matter for federal courts, not state courts, to adjudicate.

[193]*193{¶ 4} We further conclude that even if the state court could assert jurisdiction over the matter, the trial court did not abuse its discretion in overruling the motion for contempt. Chavez failed to establish either a violation of the court order or that immigration agents knew of the court order and disobeyed it. Accordingly, the order of the trial court from which this appeal is taken is affirmed.

I

{¶ 5} In the early morning hours of Friday, October 24, 2008, Trooper Dingeman of the Ohio State Highway Patrol initiated a traffic stop after observing a driver (Chavez) commit numerous marked-lane violations. On approaching the vehicle, Dingeman observed that Chavez’s eyes were glassy and bloodshot. Dingeman could also smell a strong odor of alcohol. Chavez had difficulty taking field-sobriety tests, however, because he had trouble understanding the directions. Dingeman placed Chavez under arrest for Operating a Vehicle under the Influence of Alcohol (“OVI”), and transported him to the Clark County Jail. A subsequent breath test produced a blood-alcohol reading of 0.153, in excess of the statutory limit.

{¶ 6} Chavez produced a valid North Carolina driver’s license when he was stopped, but informed Dingeman that he was in the United States illegally. Chavez was booked into the Clark County Jail at 4:10 a.m., and the “hold” information indicates the existence of an immigration holder for Immigrations and Customs Enforcement.

{¶ 7} Chavez was ordered to appear in the Springfield Municipal Court for arraignment on October 24, 2008, and he was taken to court from the jail. Attorney George Katchmer entered an appearance and a plea of “not guilty” for Chavez at the time of the arraignment. On the same day, the trial court filed an order releasing Chavez on his own recognizance. The court also ordered the keeper of the jail to release Chavez. However, Chavez was not released as ordered.

{¶ 8} An affidavit filed by Chavez indicates that when he left the courtroom, a policeman guided him to a detention room and gave him a uniform. Although Chavez told the officer that the court had declared him to be free, the officer told him to keep his mouth shut. Chavez was taken back to the Clark County Jail.

{¶ 9} Chavez was held at the Clark County Jail on Saturday and Sunday and was then transferred to Columbus, Ohio, apparently in the custody of ICE. There is no indication of what, if any, type of administrative or judicial deportation proceedings occurred thereafter. Chavez’s affidavit states that he was asked some questions about his parents and that he was transferred to Hamilton, Ohio, [194]*194with a group of other Mexicans. Approximately 13 days after his seizure by ICE, Chavez was transferred in handcuffs and shackles to an airport. ICE personnel removed the handcuffs and cut the laces from Chavez’s shoes. Chavez and the other Mexicans were then placed on an airplane and were transported to Mexico.

{¶ 10} In the meantime, the Clark County Public Defender had also entered an appearance on Chavez’s behalf. The municipal court set a pretrial hearing for November 13, 2008, but Chavez was not available for the pretrial. A pretrial-review form indicates that the prosecutor recommended that Chavez plead to the OVI charge and that the marked-lane violation be dismissed. The case was then set for a “not for trial” hearing, to be held on January 23, 2009.

{¶ 11} On the day before the scheduled hearing, Katchmer filed a motion for contempt against unnamed officers of ICE, Department of Homeland Security (“DHS”). In the motion, it was represented that ICE officers had removed Chavez from the Clark County Jail in contravention of the court’s order and without the court’s having relinquished jurisdiction. The motion additionally noted that Chavez had been deported from the United States, without legal justification, and without notice having been given to the court or counsel. Katchmer requested a hearing and a court order holding ICE and its agents in contempt. The motion was served on DHS through the Attorney General of the United States.

{¶ 12} DHS failed to file a response and did not appear at the contempt hearing, which took place in early March 2009. The trial court found it disconcerting that immigration officers had interfered with the disposition of cases, but did not feel that the officers’ actions rose to the level of contempt. Accordingly, the court overruled the motion for contempt. The state then indicated that it would ask for the charges to be dismissed without prejudice in view of Chavez’s unavailability. The trial court agreed and dismissed the charges without prejudice. Chavez appeals from the order overruling his motion for contempt.

II

{¶ 13} Chavez’s first assignment of error is as follows:

{¶ 14} “The court erred by denying the appellant’s motion for civil contempt since the actions of the agents of Homeland Security deprived him of due process of law by illegally interfering with his right to appear personally in his traffic case.”

{¶ 15} Under this assignment of error, Chavez contends that the trial court abused its discretion in denying the contempt motion. Chavez contends that the ICE agents should have been held in contempt, because their actions deprived [195]*195him, without due process, of the right to appear in person at his plea and disposition hearing.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
923 N.E.2d 670, 185 Ohio App. 3d 189, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-chavez-juarez-ohioctapp-2009.