State v. Rocha

572 P.2d 122, 117 Ariz. 294, 1977 Ariz. App. LEXIS 750
CourtCourt of Appeals of Arizona
DecidedNovember 28, 1977
Docket2 CA-CR 1090-2
StatusPublished
Cited by8 cases

This text of 572 P.2d 122 (State v. Rocha) 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. Rocha, 572 P.2d 122, 117 Ariz. 294, 1977 Ariz. App. LEXIS 750 (Ark. Ct. App. 1977).

Opinion

OPINION

HOWARD, Chief Judge.

This is an appeal from an order forfeiting appellant’s bond. The record shows the following. On November 9, 1973, appellant was arrested for transportation of marijuana. Bond was originally set at $20,000 and then reduced to $10,000. Appellant signed a written release order which recited inter alia, that appellant would:

“(1) Appear to answer and submit himself to all further orders and processes of the court having jurisdiction of the case;
(2) Refrain from committing any criminal offense;

Appellant posted $10,000 cash and was released pending trial. He was ultimately convicted and on January 10,1975, the trial court sentenced him to a term of imprisonment in the Arizona State Prison and imposed a fine in the sum of $3,300. After the sentence was pronounced, the following conversation took place between the court, defense counsel and the prosecuting attorney:

“MR. HIRSH:
******
We have talked about bail on appeal, and I talked to Mrs. Jenney about that earlier, and I think I talked to the Court. Earlier the Court indicated that the Court would be agreeable to $10,000 being bail on appeal. I don’t know how the fine will affect that $10,000 that’s already posted, but I would ask the Court at this time to avoid having him come down here for a hearing for bail, and we could set that now in the event, or have some arrangement now as to the appeal bond to avoid my coming down, having a litigated hearing on it.
I did talk to Mrs. Jenney the other day, and we had a discussion about this informally. Mrs. Jenney did say that she had no objection to a $10,000 bail being set as a bond on appeal.
What the Court would want to do with respect to the collection of the fine, I don’t know.
THE COURT: What’s your position on that, Mrs. Jenney?
MRS. JENNEY: Your Honor, of course, it’s up to the Court, but if the Court sees fit, I have no objection if there is a bond set and if it's continued in the amount of $10,000. I would not object.
******
THE COURT: What you are suggesting is that the State should be deprived of the right to collect this $3300 until after the appeal is over?
MR. HIRSH: Well, I am not making that suggestion to Your Honor. I honestly don’t know what the law is. I would guess that would be up to the Court, and I would ask the Court to exercise its discretion in favor of the defendant. I might add that I would want to talk to Mr. Rocha about this matter before we go ahead with an appeal in any event, but in the event an appeal is taken, I would ask the Court if the Court has discretion to extend the time for paying the fine until the appeal is terminated, that the Court *296 exercise its discretion. I think the Court would have to because the judgment would be stayed in any event during the pendency of the appeal.
So I think that just thinking out loud on the matter, I think the Court would not be able to collect the fine in any event until the appeal is terminated, but that sounds right. I believe we wouldn’t be able to start a sentence.
THE COURT: Yes, it sounds that way to me too.
You say you have no objections, Mrs. Jenney, to this defendant remaining out pending appeal?
MRS. JENNEY: Your Honor, what I mean is if the Court sees fit to do this I have no objection to the amount being $10,000. I don’t know, but I think there should be some indication that there is going to be one.
******
THE COURT: Is there anything further?
MR. HIRSH: Well, no, Your Honor. The matter of the bail and—
******
THE COURT:
******
How about this matter of letting this man out on this $10,000 bond and holding up the collection of that fine until there is conformance by the Court of Appeals?
MR. HIRSH: Well, it might be reversed. I am always optimistic.
MRS. JENNEY: I am not optimistic at all.
As far as Mr. Hirsh is concerned, I believe the Court has bent over backwards to do everything properly, and I have no doubt that the Court’s actions will be affirmed.
However, whatever the Court feels as far as this.
THE COURT: Very well. It is the order of the Court directing the Clerk to delay collecting the fine until there has been a mandate from the Court of Appeals.
MR. HIRSH: That will be the Supreme Court, Your Honor.
THE COURT: All right.
The Court of Appeals or Supreme Court affirming the sentence imposed in this case conditioned upon an appeal being taken within a time required and allowed by law, and if no appeal is taken and prosecuted within 20 days as required by law, then the Clerk may collect the fine; and, of course, there will be an order for the sheriff to take him to the Arizona State Prison.
If there is an appeal.
MR. HIRSH: Very well, Your Honor.
THE COURT: That covers it I think, doesn’t it?
MR. HIRSH: I think so, Your Honor.
THE COURT: Think so, Mrs. Jenney?
MRS. JENNEY: Yes, Your Honor.”

Appellant was not taken into custody but was permitted to leave the courtroom, everyone understanding that he was to remain free on bond pending appeal. An appeal was taken and on May 27, 1975, this court affirmed the conviction. Appellant petitioned the Arizona Supreme Court for a review of our decision. On July 7, 1975, while the petition for review was still pending, appellant was arrested by federal authorities for committing a federal narcotic offense on that date. On November 5, 1975, appellant was convicted in the federal district court and taken into federal custody.

On November 14, 1975, after appellant’s petition for review was denied, the trial court ordered appellant to submit himself to the custody of the Sheriff of Cochise County on or before November 20, 1975. Appellant’s counsel informed the court that appellant was in federal custody and therefore was unable to surrender. His counsel also moved to exonerate the bond. The motion was taken under advisement and appellant submitted further memoranda. In the memorandum filed December 12, 1975, appellant set forth reasons why the bond should not be forfeited. In a memorandum filed March 1, 1976, he set forth further reasons why the bond should not be *297 forfeited.

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

Related

State v. Haro-Galvez
Court of Appeals of Arizona, 2018
State v. Mayfield
Court of Appeals of Arizona, 2017
In Re BOND IN THE AMOUNT OF $75,000
238 P.3d 1275 (Court of Appeals of Arizona, 2010)
JOHN C. v. Sargeant
90 P.3d 781 (Court of Appeals of Arizona, 2004)
State v. Old West Bonding Co.
56 P.3d 42 (Court of Appeals of Arizona, 2002)
State v. Bonds
33 P.3d 537 (Court of Appeals of Arizona, 2001)
State v. Jackson
908 P.2d 1081 (Court of Appeals of Arizona, 1995)
State v. Hernandez
511 N.W.2d 535 (Nebraska Court of Appeals, 1993)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
572 P.2d 122, 117 Ariz. 294, 1977 Ariz. App. LEXIS 750, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-rocha-arizctapp-1977.