State v. Meade

120 P.3d 975
CourtCourt of Appeals of Washington
DecidedOctober 11, 2005
Docket32209-9-II
StatusPublished
Cited by16 cases

This text of 120 P.3d 975 (State v. Meade) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Washington primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State v. Meade, 120 P.3d 975 (Wash. Ct. App. 2005).

Opinion

120 P.3d 975 (2005)

STATE of Washington, Respondent,
v.
Forrest C. MEADE, Appellant.

No. 32209-9-II.

Court of Appeals of Washington, Division 2.

October 11, 2005.

*976 Brett Dino Colacurcio, Grays Harbor County Prosecutor's Office, Montesano, WA, for Respondent.

John Lester Farra, Attorney at Law, Ocean Shores, WA, for Appellant.

BRIDGEWATER, J.

¶ 1 Forrest C. Meade, a juvenile, appeals the trial court's manifest injustice disposition. We hold that sufficient evidence supports the manifest injustice decision, which the trial court found by the "clear and convincing" standard that is equivalent to "beyond a reasonable doubt" under State v. Rhodes, 92 Wash.2d 755, 760, 600 P.2d 1264 (1979), overruled on other grounds in State v. Baldwin, 150 Wash.2d 448, 461, 78 P.3d 1005 (2003). And we hold, based on State v. Schaaf, 109 Wash.2d 1, 743 P.2d 240 (1987), that the United States Supreme Court's decision in Blakely v. Washington[1] does not entitle a juvenile to a jury trial at any stage, either fact finding or disposition. We affirm.

¶ 2 Meade committed third degree theft on December 8, 2003. He pleaded guilty on July 15, 2004, and the court ordered a psychological evaluation. Sentencing occurred on July 29.

¶ 3 Based on the testimony of the probation officer and Meade's mother and the psychological evaluation, the court specifically found: (1) Meade is a threat to himself and the community at large; and (2) Meade failed to follow treatment programs and now needs a structured treatment program. The Order on Adjudication and Disposition further acknowledged the existence of the following aggravating factors: (1) Meade had a recent criminal history or has failed to comply with conditions of a recent dispositional order or diversion agreement; (2) there were other complaints that had resulted in diversion, or a finding or plea of guilty, which were not included as criminal history; (3) the standard range disposition was clearly too lenient considering the seriousness of Meade's prior adjudications; (4) Meade is a risk to re-offend; (5) Meade committed offenses while release was pending; and (6) Meade failed to follow the standards/terms of his probation. Accordingly, the court invoked the manifest injustice exception to the sentencing standards of RCW 13.40.0357 and ordered Meade committed to the Juvenile Rehabilitation Administration for 39 to 52 weeks.

I. Sufficient Evidence

¶ 4 A "[m]anifest injustice" means a disposition that would either impose an excessive penalty on the juvenile or would impose a serious and clear danger to society in light of the purposes of the [Juvenile Justice Act].[2] RCW 13.40.020(17). To uphold a finding *977 of a manifest injustice: (1) substantial evidence in the record must support the trial court's reasons; (2) those reasons must clearly and convincingly support the manifest injustice disposition; and (3) the disposition cannot be too excessive or too lenient. RCW 13.40.230(2); Rhodes, 92 Wash.2d at 760, 600 P.2d 1264. Substantial evidence is evidence sufficient to persuade a fair-minded, rational person of the finding's truth. State v. Solomon, 114 Wash.App. 781, 789, 60 P.3d 1215 (2002), review denied, 149 Wash.2d 1025, 72 P.3d 763 (2003).

¶ 5 In Rhodes, the Washington State Supreme Court equated the "clear and convincing" standard of the three-part test with "beyond a reasonable doubt." Rhodes, 92 Wash.2d at 760, 600 P.2d 1264. The Rhodes court did so because "the `clear and convincing' standard is the civil counterpart to `beyond a reasonable doubt,'" and because "the phrase `manifest injustice' represents a demanding standard." Rhodes, 92 Wash.2d at 760, 600 P.2d 1264. Subsequent appellate court decisions formulate the three-part test using the "beyond a reasonable doubt" standard. See, e.g., State v. Tai N., 127 Wash. App. 733, 742, 113 P.3d 19 (2005) (citing State v. Duncan, 90 Wash.App. 808, 812, 960 P.2d 941, review denied, 136 Wash.2d 1015, 966 P.2d 1278 (1998) and State v. J.N., 64 Wash. App. 112, 114, 823 P.2d 1128 (1992)). Thus, the record must support, beyond a reasonable doubt, the reasons given for finding a manifest injustice. State v. Murphy, 35 Wash.App. 658, 669, 669 P.2d 891 (1983) (discussing Rhodes), review denied, 100 Wash.2d 1034 (1984).

¶ 6 A manifest injustice disposition must rest on a finding that a standard range disposition for this offense and this defendant presents a danger to society. Rhodes, 92 Wash.2d at 760, 600 P.2d 1264. The JJA provides a list of nonexclusive mitigating and aggravating factors that may support a manifest injustice disposition. RCW 13.40.150(2)(h)-(i); State v. Radcliff, 58 Wash. App. 717, 720-21, 794 P.2d 869 (1990). Because the JJA's policy of responding to the needs of offenders is the "critical distinction" between the adult and juvenile systems, the juvenile court must focus on the offenders circumstances and must consider numerous factors that may not be relevant to adult sentencing. Tai N., 127 Wash.App. at 744, 113 P.3d 19.

¶ 7 We hold that substantial evidence supported a manifest injustice disposition:

¶ 8 1. Meade committed four offenses in a three-month period between December 2003 and March 2004, and ran away from home several times during that period. And according to the clinical psychologist's report, Meade admitted he habitually used marijuana and also use alcohol and methamphetamine. He further admitted to drinking alcohol on nearly a daily basis when he ran away from home. Meade also estimated that he attempted suicide four or five times. Meade is clearly a threat to himself and the community.

¶ 9 2. In Tai N., Division One of this court stated that a juvenile's need for treatment may justify imposing a manifest injustice disposition. Tai N., 127 Wash.App. at 745, 113 P.3d 19. Here, Meade's mother testified that attempts at seeking treatment for Meade's behavioral problems have been unsuccessful due to Meade's failure to comply with treatment directives.

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120 P.3d 975, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-meade-washctapp-2005.