State v. Rusen

509 P.3d 628, 369 Or. 677
CourtOregon Supreme Court
DecidedMay 12, 2022
DocketS068295
StatusPublished
Cited by22 cases

This text of 509 P.3d 628 (State v. Rusen) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Oregon 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. Rusen, 509 P.3d 628, 369 Or. 677 (Or. 2022).

Opinion

Argued and submitted September 24, 2021, resubmitted January 25; decision of Court of Appeals affirmed, judgment of circuit court reversed, and case remanded to circuit court for further proceedings May 12, 2022

STATE OF OREGON, Petitioner on Review, v. JONATHAN WILLIAM RUSEN, Respondent on Review. (CC 17CR12207) (CA A168201) (SC S068295) 509 P3d 628

Pursuant to a plea agreement, defendant pleaded no contest to four counts of second-degree sexual abuse, and the state recommended a downward disposi- tional sentence of probation. The parties agreed that, if the trial court revoked defendant’s probation sentences, the trial court would have the authority to impose consecutive terms of incarceration as probation revocation sanctions. Defendant reserved the right, however, to argue that any probation revocation sanctions should be run concurrently. The trial court followed that recommen- dation and imposed concurrent terms of probation. The trial court later revoked defendant’s probation based on a single violation and sentenced defendant to con- secutive terms of incarceration for each of the four counts. Defendant appealed, arguing that the consecutive sentences imposed by the trial court violated OAR 213-012-0040(2)(a), which requires concurrent probation revocation sanctions where multiple terms of probation are revoked for a single violation. The state argued that defendant’s sentence was not reviewable under ORS 138.105(9), which bars appellate courts from reviewing “any part of a sentence resulting from a stipulated sentencing agreement between the state and the defendant.” The state further argued that the trial court had authority to impose consecutive probation revocation sanctions under ORS 137.123(2), which authorizes consecu- tive sentences for defendants whose multiple offenses “do not arise from the same continuous and uninterrupted course of conduct.” The Court of Appeals reversed. Held: (1) Defendant’s sentence was reviewable because ORS 138.105(9) does not bar review of challenges to “part of a sentence” when the parties reserved the right to make competing arguments regarding what the court should decide with respect to that part of the sentence; (2) the consecutive sentences imposed by the trial court violated OAR 213-012-0040(2)(a) and were not authorized by ORS 137.123(2), which applies only to the initial sentencing following conviction. The decision of the Court of Appeals is affirmed. The judgment of the cir- cuit court is reversed, and the case is remanded to the circuit court for further proceedings.

On review from the Court of Appeals.* ______________ * Appeal from Linn County Circuit Court, Thomas McHill, Judge. 307 Or App 759, 479 P3d 318 (2020). 678 State v. Rusen

Timothy A. Sylwester, Assistant Attorney General, Salem, argued the cause and filed the briefs for petitioner on review. Also on the briefs were Ellen Rosenblum, Attorney General, and Benjamin Gutman, Solicitor General. Anne Fujita Munsey, Deputy Defender, Salem, argued the cause and filed the brief for respondent on review. Also on the brief was Ernest G. Lannet, Chief Deputy Defender, Office of Public Defense Services. Before Walters, Chief Justice, and Balmer, Flynn, Duncan, Nelson, Garrett, and DeHoog, Justices.** FLYNN, J. The decision of the Court of Appeals is affirmed. The judgment of the circuit court is reversed, and the case is remanded to the circuit court for further proceedings.

______________ ** Nakamoto, J., retired December 31, 2021, and did not participate in the decision of this case. Cite as 369 Or 677 (2022) 679

FLYNN, J. In the criminal case before us, defendant challenges the trial court’s imposition of consecutive terms of incarcer- ation upon revoking defendant’s probation. Defendant had been serving the sentence of probation pursuant to a plea agreement and had stipulated that, if the court revoked his probation, the court could impose consecutive terms of incarceration as sanctions. Defendant had reserved the right, however, to argue that any probation revocation sanc- tions should be run concurrently. The first question this case presents is whether defendant is barred from obtaining appellate review by ORS 138.105(9), which provides that an “appellate court has no authority to review any part of a sentence resulting from a stipulated sentencing agreement between the state and the defendant.” The second question, on the merits, is how to resolve an apparent conflict between ORS 137.123(2), which generally authorizes consecutive sen- tences for defendants—like this defendant—whose multiple offenses “do not arise from the same continuous and unin- terrupted course of conduct,” and OAR 213-012-0040(2)(a), a sentencing guideline that restricts the ability of sentencing judges to impose consecutive incarceration sanctions upon revoking probation. The Court of Appeals concluded that defendant’s challenge to the revocation sanction was reviewable and, on the merits, that the trial court lacked authority in this case to impose consecutive terms of incarceration following revocation of defendant’s probation. We allowed the state’s petition for review and now affirm the decision of the Court of Appeals on both questions. On the procedural question, we conclude that the legislature did not intend ORS 138.105(9) to bar review of challenges to “part of a sentence” when the parties reserved the right to make competing arguments regarding what the court should decide with respect to that part of the sentence. Accordingly, petitioner’s challenge to the court’s decision to impose consecutive terms of incarceration is reviewable. On the merits, we conclude that ORS 137.123(2) applies to ini- tial sentencing and, therefore, is compatible with OAR 213- 012-0040(2)(a), which applies when a court revokes probation 680 State v. Rusen

and requires the court to impose concurrent incarceration terms where, as here, probation is revoked based on a sin- gle violation. We therefore affirm the decision of the Court of Appeals, reverse the judgment of the trial court, and remand for further proceedings. I. BACKGROUND In 2017, defendant pleaded no contest to four counts of second-degree sexual abuse involving the same minor victim. As part of the plea agreement, the state agreed to dismiss six counts charging defendant with other sexual offenses involving the same victim. The plea agreement specified that the four counts to which defendant pleaded guilty were committed on four different dates—i.e., not “the same continuous and uninterrupted course of conduct,” ORS 137.123

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Bluebook (online)
509 P.3d 628, 369 Or. 677, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-rusen-or-2022.