State v. Outka

2014 SD 11, 844 N.W.2d 598, 2014 WL 794751, 2014 S.D. LEXIS 11
CourtSouth Dakota Supreme Court
DecidedFebruary 26, 2014
Docket26599
StatusPublished
Cited by13 cases

This text of 2014 SD 11 (State v. Outka) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering South 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. Outka, 2014 SD 11, 844 N.W.2d 598, 2014 WL 794751, 2014 S.D. LEXIS 11 (S.D. 2014).

Opinion

WILBUR, Justice.

[¶ 1.] Mark Outka appeals the magistrate court’s denial of his post-sentencing motion to withdraw his guilty plea.

FACTS AND PROCEDURAL HISTORY

[¶ 2.] Outka was charged by information with alternative counts of simple assault for an altercation involving his live-in girlfriend, Jillian Anderson. Although the caption of the information included the words “domestic abuse,” the rest of the information made no reference to domestic abuse. The only statute referenced in the information was SDCL 22-18-1, the simple assault statute.

[¶ 3.] The State and Outka, who was represented by counsel, entered into a plea agreement whereby Outka pleaded guilty to simple assault under SDCL 22-18-l(4). 1 Outka admitted that he yelled at Anderson and threatened to kick her out of the house. Outka did not contest the “domestic abuse” notation in the caption of his information before entering his guilty plea. Nor did he challenge whether the assault involved domestic abuse. Additionally, Outka’s attorney acknowledged at Outka’s preliminary hearing that Outka would plead guilty to simple assault (domestic abuse). The magistrate court sentenced Outka to 360 days in jail, with all 360 days suspended, and one year of probation.

[¶ 4.] Outka subsequently appealed his conviction to circuit court. The circuit court remanded the matter to the magistrate court to allow Outka to move to withdraw his guilty plea. The magistrate court, in its denial of Outka’s motion to withdraw the plea, determined that the information was sufficient and that Outka knowingly and voluntarily pleaded guilty to simple assault (domestic abuse). Outka appealed to circuit court, which affirmed the decision of the magistrate court.

[¶ 5.] Outka appeals to this Court, arguing that he should have been allowed to withdraw his plea because the charging information (1) was insufficient, (2) failed to conform to pleading requirements, and (3) failed to inform him of the charges against him. Outka further argues that SDCL 25-10-34 is unconstitutional. Finally, he contends that he did not knowingly and voluntarily plead guilty to simple assault.

STANDARD OF REVIEW

[¶ 6.] “When a defendant moves to withdraw his guilty plea after [a] sentence has been imposed, the trial court will set aside the judgment of conviction and permit the defendant to withdraw his plea only to correct manifest injustice.” State v. McColl, 2011 S.D. 90, ¶ 8, 807 N.W.2d 813, 815 (quoting State v. Lohnes, 344 N.W.2d 686, 687-88 (S.D.1984)); see also SDCL 23A-27-11. A defendant seeking withdrawal of a plea on the grounds of manifest injustice must “show entitlement to relief by clear and convincing evidence.” McColl, 2011 S.D. 90, ¶9, 807 N.W.2d at 816 (citation omitted). Normally, “[t]he decision to allow a defendant to withdraw a guilty plea is a matter solely within the *603 discretion of the trial court and is reviewed under an abuse of discretion standard.” State v. Goodwin, 2004 S.D. 75, ¶4, 681 N.W.2d 847, 849 (citing State v. Wahle, 521 N.W.2d 134, 136-37 (S.D.1994)).

[¶ 7.] While “the trial court’s discretion to allow withdrawal of a guilty plea prior to ‘sentencing should be exercised liberally in favor of withdrawal,’ ... a stricter standard should be applied when a defendant requests to withdraw a guilty plea after a sentence has been imposed.” Id. (quoting Wahle, 521 N.W.2d at 137). The purpose of the stricter standard is “to prevent a defendant from testing the weight of potential punishment, and then withdrawing the plea if he finds the sentence unexpectedly severe.” Lohnes, 344 N.W.2d at 688 (quoting United States v. McKoy, 645 F.2d 1037, 1040 n. 3 (D.C.Cir.1981)). While a decision to permit withdrawal of a guilty plea is normally within the trial court’s discretion, when a defendant alleges that his plea is constitutionally infirm this Court must conduct a de novo review to determine whether the alleged constitutional violation occurred. See Goodwin, 2004 S.D. 75, ¶4, 681 N.W.2d at 849; see also State v. Cain, 342 Wis.2d 1, 816 N.W.2d 177, 183 (2012).

DECISION

[¶ 8.] 1. Whether the information was sufficient.

[¶ 9.] Outka first argues that he should be permitted to withdraw his guilty plea because the information was not sufficient. Specifically, Outka alleges that there is no offense titled “simple assault (domestic abuse).” Effectively, Outka asks this Court to decide whether the practice of tagging a domestic abuse notation on an assault charge, consistent with SDCL 25-10-34, changes the nature of the crime so that it is no longer the public offense listed in SDCL 22-18-1 (the simple assault statute). Because Outka did not object to the alleged defect in the caption of the information prior to pleading guilty, he is only entitled to relief if he can illustrate a jurisdictional defect. SDCL 23A-8-3(3). 2 Outka contends that because the caption of the information included the words “domestic abuse,” he was charged ■with an offense that does not exist. Therefore, he claims the information failed to state a public offense, depriving the magistrate court of jurisdiction.

[¶ 10.] The State argues that the domestic abuse notation does not change the fact that Outka was charged with the public offense of simple assault. The State asserts that the notation in the caption merely indicates the relationship between the victim and the perpetrator.

[¶ 11.] The information was sufficient to charge Outka with a public offense: simple assault. It cited the relevant statute for and defined the elements of simple assault. And the information provided a factual allegation, which if proven, would establish a violation of simple assault. In drafting the information the state’s attorney complied with the statutory requirement found in SDCL 25-10-34, which provides that:

The state’s attorney of the county where a crime is believed to have been committed shall indicate on the summons, complaint, information, indictment, arrest warrant, and judgment of conviction *604 whether the charge involves domestic abuse.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
2014 SD 11, 844 N.W.2d 598, 2014 WL 794751, 2014 S.D. LEXIS 11, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-outka-sd-2014.