United States v. Yudit Jacques

345 F.3d 960, 2003 U.S. App. LEXIS 20476, 2003 WL 22299242
CourtCourt of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
DecidedOctober 8, 2003
Docket03-1402
StatusPublished
Cited by26 cases

This text of 345 F.3d 960 (United States v. Yudit Jacques) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
United States v. Yudit Jacques, 345 F.3d 960, 2003 U.S. App. LEXIS 20476, 2003 WL 22299242 (7th Cir. 2003).

Opinion

FLAUM, Chief Judge.

Yudit Jacques pled guilty to one count of attempting to possess with intent to distribute in excess of 500 grams of methamphetamine in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841. She now appeals the District Court’s failure to grant her the statutory time to review the presentence report. For the reasons stated herein, we affirm.

I. Background

On August 9, 2002, United States Postal Inspectors discovered a suspicious package at the Los Angeles Airport mail facility. A search of the package revealed four plastic bottles containing approximately 1,821 grams of a white crystal substance which later tested positive for the presence of methamphetamine. After removing the majority of the drugs and resealing the package, an undercover inspector delivered the package to the address on the shipping label. Yudit Jacques signed for the package and took it into her residence. Agents then executed a search warrant for Jacques’ residence and recovered the package. On November 13, 2002, Jacques pled guilty to attempting to possess with intent to distribute in excess of 500 grams of methamphetamine.

*962 Sentencing was set for February 11, 2003, and Jacques was instructed to file objections to the presentence report (PSR) by January 23, 2003. However, Jacques still had not received a copy of the PSR by January 24, 2003, and therefore filed a motion requesting a fourteen-day extension of time to file objections. The district court issued an order stating that “[t]he court having been advised that counsel received the presentence report on January 25, 2003, defendant is given to January 31, 2003 to file her objections and/or motions for departure.” Jacques filed her objections and a motion for downward departure on February 3, 2003, and sentencing took place as scheduled on February 11.

Jacques now appeals, asserting that she was not granted the appropriate time to review the PSR and file objections under Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 32. The government argues that Jacques either waived or forfeited her right to relief by failing to object to the shortened time period at the sentencing hearing.

II. Discussion

Jacques alleges that her rights under Rule 32(e)(2) and Rule 32(f)(1) were violated when the sentencing occurred seventeen days after the PSR was tendered and the District Judge allowed the defendant only seven days to file objections to the PSR. Rule 32(e)(2) states that “[t]he probation officer must give the presentence report to the defendant, the defendant’s attorney, and an attorney for the government at least 35 days before sentencing unless the defendant waives this minimum period.” Fed.R.Crim.P. 32(e)(2). Rule 32(f)(1) provides that the parties have “14 days after receiving the presentence report” to “state in writing any objections.” Fed.R.Crim.P. 32(f)(1).

The government admits that Jacques did not receive the mandated thirty-five days to review the PSR and fourteen days to file objections to the PSR. However, the government contends that Jacques waived or forfeited her Rule 32 rights by participating in her sentencing hearing without objecting at the hearing or requesting a continuance. The government further argues that Jacques was not prejudiced by the shortened time period.

Waiver is the intentional relinquishment of a known right. See United States v. Olano, 507 U.S. 725, 733, 113 S.Ct. 1770, 123 L.Ed.2d 508 (1993); United States v. Staples, 202 F.3d 992, 995 (7th Cir.2000). Waiver extinguishes any error and precludes appellate review. See Olano, 507 U.S. at 733, 113 S.Ct. 1770. Forfeiture, on the other hand, is the failure to make a timely assertion of a right. Id. at 731, 113 S.Ct. 1770. Forfeited errors are reviewable under the plain error standard. Id. at 733, 113 S.Ct. 1770. We have often stated that whereas “waiver is accomplished by intent, forfeiture comes about through neglect.” Staples, 202 F.3d at 995; United States v. Perry, 223 F.3d 431, 433 (7th Cir.2000).

In this case, Jacques forfeited, rather than waived, her Rule 32 rights. There is no evidence that Jacques intentionally relinquished the right to have more time to review and object to the PSR. In fact, the evidence is to the contrary. Jacques objected to the shortened time period by filing a motion requesting a fourteen-day extension of time to file objections. Jacques’ failure to object again at the sentencing hearing itself was a failure to make a timely assertion of a right, not a relinquishment of that right.

This case is distinguishable from cases cited by the government where defendants waived their right to appeal by failing to object. See United States v. Staples, 202 F.3d 992, 995 (7th Cir.2000) (holding that where the defendant knew he had the *963 right to object and affirmatively decided not to object, the defendant waived his right to appeal); United States v. Knorr, 942 F.2d 1217, 1221 (7th Cir.1991) (stating that the defendant waived his Rule 32 rights by participating in the sentencing without objection based on the shortened time period); United States v. Busche, 915 F.2d 1150, 1151 (7th Cir.1990) (stating that the defendant waived his Rule 32 rights when neither the defendant nor his lawyer asked for additional time). Here, Jacques filed a motion with the District Court requesting the time guaranteed by Rule 32 and the motion was denied. Any dicta in Knorr implying that the objection must occur at sentencing and cannot occur before sentencing would eliminate the distinction between forfeiture and waiver, and Knorr should not be read to create the requirement that defendants must object multiple times or waive their rights. By failing to object at the sentencing hearing, Jacques forfeited but did not waive her Rule 32 rights.

Because Jacques forfeited her rights under Rule 32, the District Court’s decision to shorten the time to object to the PSR is reviewed for plain error. Plain error is an error that: (1) is plain or clear; (2) affected substantial rights; and (3) “seriously affeet[ed] the fairness, integrity, or public reputation of judicial proceedings.” United States v. Gray, 332 F.3d 491, 492 (7th Cir.2003).

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

Related

United States v. Tyree Neal, Sr.
810 F.3d 512 (Seventh Circuit, 2016)
United States v. Michael Starnes
636 F. App'x 935 (Seventh Circuit, 2016)
United States v. Harris
543 F. App'x 587 (Seventh Circuit, 2013)
United States v. Kavlin Harris
Seventh Circuit, 2013
United States v. Pineda-Buenaventura
622 F.3d 761 (Seventh Circuit, 2010)
United States v. Rodriguez-Gomez
608 F.3d 969 (Seventh Circuit, 2010)
United States v. Anderson
604 F.3d 997 (Seventh Circuit, 2010)
Meyer Intellectual Properties Ltd. v. Bodum, Inc.
597 F. Supp. 2d 790 (N.D. Illinois, 2009)
United States v. Paul
542 F.3d 596 (Seventh Circuit, 2008)
United States v. Paul, John E.
Seventh Circuit, 2008
Nichols v. NATIONAL UNION FIRE INS. OF PITTSBURGH
509 F. Supp. 2d 752 (W.D. Wisconsin, 2007)
United States v. Ronald Bernard Johnson
415 F.3d 728 (Seventh Circuit, 2005)
United States v. Rene Jaimes-Jaimes
406 F.3d 845 (Seventh Circuit, 2005)
Marvin Bieghler v. Daniel McBride Superintendent
389 F.3d 701 (Seventh Circuit, 2004)
James Perruquet v. Kenneth R. Briley
390 F.3d 505 (Seventh Circuit, 2004)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
345 F.3d 960, 2003 U.S. App. LEXIS 20476, 2003 WL 22299242, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-yudit-jacques-ca7-2003.