State v. Lesmeister

288 N.W.2d 57, 1980 N.D. LEXIS 220
CourtNorth Dakota Supreme Court
DecidedJanuary 24, 1980
DocketCr. 704
StatusPublished
Cited by5 cases

This text of 288 N.W.2d 57 (State v. Lesmeister) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering North Dakota Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State v. Lesmeister, 288 N.W.2d 57, 1980 N.D. LEXIS 220 (N.D. 1980).

Opinions

PEDERSON, Justice.

Lesmeister has applied to this court for release pending appeal, as he may do pursuant to Rule 9(b), NDRAppP, and Rule 46(d), NDRCrimP. He previously made application to the Stark County Court With Increased Jurisdiction for a stay of the sentence of imprisonment pursuant to Rule 38(a)(2), NDRCrimP, and release pending appeal pursuant to Rule 9(b), NDRAppP. The Stark County Court With Increased Jurisdiction denied the stay and release pending appeal for the following reasons:

“(1) The Court believes the appeal to be frivolous.
(2) The defendant is not appealing from a Judgment of conviction but rather an Order Revoking Suspended Sentence.
(3) The defendant has consistently shown disrespect for the Court’s Orders.
(4) The Court believes that the defendant has shown a propensity to ‘skip-out’.
(5) The Court believes that the defendant would not reappear voluntarily.
(6) The Court believes that the interests of Justice will be promoted by causing the defendant to serve his time now.”

In State v. Stevens, 234 N.W.2d 623, 627 (N.D.1975), in a footnote we said:

“A motion to this court to release a defendant on bail pending appeal is for all practical purposes an appeal from the denial of a similar motion by the trial court.”

And, in State v. Azure, 241 N.W.2d 699, 702 (N.D.1976), we said it was both an original proceeding in this court and an appeal from a discretionary decision of the trial court.

We applied the “abuse of discretion” test in denying a motion to stay a sentence of imprisonment in State v. Meadows, 253 N.W.2d 436, 439 (N.D.1977), and in State v. Larson, 271 N.W.2d 1, 2 (N.D.1978), we said that if compelling reasons justifying release are presented to a trial court, it is an abuse of discretion to deny release.

To the extent that we are reviewing the decision of the Stark County Court With Increased Jurisdiction, we must determine if there were compelling reasons presented to that court.

“The decision of the trial court to deny . [the] motion was one of discretion, and a similar motion made to this Court will normally be granted only if there was an abuse of discretion.” State v. Engel, 284 N.W.2d 303, 306 (N.D.1979).

See also, State v. Davies, 244 N.W.2d 540 (N.D.1976); State v. Jensen, 241 N.W.2d 557 (N.D.1976); and State v. Schuler, 236 N.W.2d 631 (N.D.1975).

Proceedings under Rule 9(b), NDRAppP, and Rule 46(d), NDRCrimP, are intended to be summary in nature. Both rules specify that in both the trial court and in this court, the determination will be made promptly upon such papers, affidavits, and portions of the record as the parties shall present. This language is adopted from Rule 9(b) of the Federal Rules of Appellate Procedure. The advisory committee notes to the Federal Rule state, in substance, that Rule 9(b) motions require a speedy determination if relief is to be effective. This court has not followed the prac[59]*59tice of summarily determining motions for release pending appeals without oral argument, although we may find it necessary to do so in the future. It appears that defendants are entitled to summary decisions under the rules.

It will be the burden of the applicant for release to provide sufficient documentation to permit a summary grant of the release, or it will be summarily denied. In this case we suggested during oral argument that transcripts of the numerous proceedings before the Stark County Court With Increased Jurisdiction might be helpful. Both counsel agreed and those transcripts have now been filed.

The record shows that on May 30, 1978, Lesmeister appeared with counsel and pled guilty to the charge of theft of service in violation of § 12.1-23-03, NDCC, and on July 5, 1978, was sentenced to 365 days in the county jail, with 335 days conditionally suspended. He was forthwith remanded to the custody of the sheriff to begin serving the 30 days.

The suspension was conditioned upon: (1) defendant entering and completing an approved inpatient treatment for alcoholism; (2) payment of $50 per month on court costs, starting one month after completion of alcoholism treatment; (3) attendance at weekly AA sessions after completion of alcoholism treatment and filing attendance reports with the court; (4) obtaining and holding a steady job; and (5) no convictions or violations of any statutes.

On October 11,1979, Lesmeister appeared on an Order to Show Cause why the suspension of a part of the sentence should not be revoked for failure to perform the conditions imposed. Cash bond of $750 was posted for appearance October 17, 1979.

On October 17, 1979, Lesmeister did not appear but was represented for the first time by present counsel, who asked for a continuance. Continuance was denied, the $750 bond forfeited, and the court directed issuance of a bench warrant.

The record does not show when Lesmeister was arrested on the bench warrant or when he was incarcerated. He was released by the district court on a writ of habeas corpus and next appeared on November 14, 1979. After a hearing, the Stark County Court With Increased Jurisdiction revoked the suspension of the 335 days of the sentence and Lesmeister was again remanded to the custody of the sheriff to serve the remainder of the sentence.

On November 21, 1979, Lesmeister filed with the clerk of the Stark County Court With Increased Jurisdiction, a notice of appeal from the order revoking suspended sentence and from the “Criminal Judgment and Commitment,” and made application to that court for release pending appeal. Release was denied for the reasons hereinbe-fore stated and application was made to this court.

Lesmeister’s affidavit in support of his application to the Stark County Court With Increased Jurisdiction in essence states: that Lesmeister believes that his appeal has merit; that it was an abuse of discretion for the trial court to revoke the suspended sentence; that the sentence is far too severe; that the court “probably exceeded its jurisdiction in sentencing”; and that in fact all conditions on suspension that were possible were fulfilled. Lesmeister further avers that there is no reason to believe that he would flee or that he would pose a danger to any person and that, if released, he is assured employment and assistance from his employer in making a $900 payment for child support ordered by the district court.

Lesmeister’s affidavit in support of his application to this court disputed each of the reasons given by the Stark County Court With Increased Jurisdiction for denying release.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
288 N.W.2d 57, 1980 N.D. LEXIS 220, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-lesmeister-nd-1980.