i i i i i i



### MEM ORA ND UM OP INION No
. 04 -0 9- 00 00 5- CV I N T H E MA T T E R O F S . J . P. , a Juve nil e Fr om the 289th J udicial District Court, Be x ar County , Texas

Trial Court No. 2008-JUV-02525 Ho n o rab l e C arm en Ke l s ey , J u d ge P re s i d i n g Opinion by : Phy lis J . Speedlin, J ustice Sitt ing: Phy lis J . Speedlin, J ustice

Rebec ca Simmons, J ustice Steven C. Hilbig, Just ice Deliver ed and F iled: J anuar y 6, 2010 AFF I RMED AS MODI FI ED S.J .P. wa s adjudicate d as having eng ag ed in de linquent c onduct by committin g crimi nal tr e sp a ss, and

pla c e d o n pr ob a tio n un til his e ig hte e nth bir thd ay in t he c us tod y of the Chi e f Juv e nil e Probation Offic er of

Be x ar County , Texas for the purpose of long- term plac ement outside the home. We modify

the trial court’s judg ment to corre ctly ref lect that the ty

pe of de linquent conduct in which S.J .P. eng ag ed wa s criminal trespa ss to a building, and w e af firm the judg ment as modified. F ACT UAL AND P R OC EDU R A L B ACKG ROUND On the evening of S eptember 29, 2008, S.J .P., who was six teen y ear s old, was a rre sted for criminal trespa s s af

t er o ff i cers found him and a f

riend inside a va cant house located at 3715 Portsmouth Drive, San Antonio, Texas. The owner of the va cant hous e, who re sided nea rby , had04
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- 2- called police to r eport a possible bur g lary stating that she saw two males g o around the back of the house and the n saw a

light g o on inside the house. When the office rs ar rived, they

found the ba ck door’s de adbolt unlocked but the inside c hain attac hed , p re v en t i n g the door fr om opening . The of fi c e rs ob ta ine d th e ow ne r’ s per mis sio n to for c e the do or

op e n a nd e nte re d th e ho us e , o rd e ri nga ll occupa nts to show themselves. They found S.J .P. and another male “in separ ate be drooms sitti ng
on the floor of the e mpty , vaca nt house.” S.J .P. told t he off icer s that he and his fr iend nee ded a pla ce to stay and he kne w the house w as vac ant bec ause his sist er h ad re ce n t l y been e victed fr om the house. The S tate filed an orig inal petition alleg ing that S.J .P. had eng ag ed in delinquent conduc t by committing the offe nse of criminal trespass to a building, a Class B misdeme anor. SeeT EX . P EN AL C ODE ANN . § 30.05(a) (1) & (d)(1) (Vernon Supp. 2009). Subsequently , the State filed a n amende d petition corre cting S.J .P
. ’s date of birth and alleg ing he had committed the off ense of criminal trespass to a ha

bitation, a Class A misdemeanor. SeeT EX . P EN A L C ODE ANN . § 30.05(a) (1) & (d)( 3) (Ve rnon Supp. 2009). On Decembe r 16, 2008, S .J .P. appear ed in cour t for trial with his pare nts and
c ouns e l. T he c ourt

a dv ise d S.J.P. that he wa s c ha rg e d w ithc ri min a l tr e sp a ss t o a bu ild ing , a

nd S.J.P. orally pled true to that c harg e and stipulated to the State’s evidenc e admitted as State’ s Ex hibit 1; th e w ri t t en p l eap ap er s s i gn edb y S
. J
. P
. al s o re fl ec ta p l eao f t ru e t o cr i m i n al tre s p as s t o a b u i l d i n g. The trial c ourt ac cepte d the plea of true an d ad

j u d i cated S.J .P. delinquent, finding that State’s Ex hibit 1 “does support the cha rg e of c riminal trespass that I had rea d to you ear lier.” The c ourt then found a ne ed for

dispositi on an dproce eded to c onsider the pr e-disposition report pre pare d by the J uvenile Probation Off

icer , the par ental wr itten statement by S.J .P.’s m o t h er , and the St ate’ s
rec ommendation. The c ourt followed the State’ s rec ommendation and plac ed S.J .P. on probation04
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- 3- un til his e ig hte e nth

bir thd a y in t he c us tod y of the Chi e f Juv e nil e Pr ob a tio n O ff ic e r o f B e xar

County for the pur

pose of plac ement outside the home in a secure placeme nt fac ility
. The wr itten order of adjudication states that S.J .P. eng ag ed in delinquent conduc t by committing criminal trespass of a habitation, not a building. S.J .P. now appea ls both the order of adjudication a n d t h e order of dispositi on. A N A L Y SIS Order of Adjudication S.J.P. c ha lle ng e s th e a dju dic a tio n o rd e r as le g a lly ins uf fi c ie nt b e c a

us e it f ind s h e e ng a g e d in delinquent conduc t by

committing cr iminal trespass to a habitation, while the written plea pa pers a nd the or a l pl e a

c oll oq uy we re fo r cr imi na l tre sp a ss to a buil din g , a les se r cl a ss of mis de me ano r. S.J.P.
asser ts there is no evide nce in the record to support a finding he committ ed tre spass to a habitation,
and re qu e sts tha

t w e re ve rs e the a dju dicat ion or de r a nd re nd e r a “ ve rd ic t of

no t tr ue .” Th e State respo n d s th a t th e r e c o r d s u p p o rts S. J. P. ’ s p le a o f tr

u e to tr e s p a s s to a b u il d in g , w h ic h is a lesser inc lud e d o ff

e ns e of tr e sp a ss t o a

ha bit a tio n, and

a sse rt s we sh ou ld re fo rm the a dju dic a tio n o rd e r “ to ref lect the manne r in which Appe llant was found de linquent, criminal trespa ss of a building .” J uvenile delinquency

proce eding s are considere d “quasi-c riminal” in nature , with the Code of Criminal Procedur e and the Rules of Evidence perta ining to c riminal case s applying in pa rt, and the Rules of Civil P roce dure a pplying in pa

rt. T EX . F AM . C ODE ANN . § 51.17 (Ve rnon Supp. 2009); In re B.L.D. , 113 S.W .3d 340, 351 (Tex. 2003). Section 51.17(a) of t he Te x as F amily Code provides in releva nt part that, except for

the burden of proof on the State in adjudicatinga child delinquent or in nee d of super

vision, the Texas Ru les of Civil P roce dure g overn juve nile proce eding s. T EX . F AM . C ODE ANN . § 51.17(a) . Under Civil Procedur e Rule 65, the State’s amende d petition alleg ing04
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1 ... T h e el eme n t s of

c r i mi n al t r es pas s t o a bu i l di n g a r e t h at : ( 1) a pe r s on , ( 2) i n t en t i on al l y or k n owi n g l y , ( 3) ent er s or r emai ns i n a b ui l di ng o f anot her , (4) wi t hout t he ef f ect i ve cons ent of

t he owner , ( 5) h avi ng not i ce t hat en t r y was fo rb id d e n . T EX . P E N A L C O D E A NN . § 30. 05 ( a) ( 1) & ( d)( 1). A “ bui l di ng ” i s def i ned a s “ any en cl ose d s t r uct ur e i nt ended f or u s e or occu pat i on as a habi t at i on o r f or s om e p ur po s e o f

t r ade, m anu f

act ur e, o r namen t o r us e. ” T EX . P E N A L C ODE A NN . § 3 0 .01 (2 ) (V ern o n 2 0 0 3 ). T hu s, crim i na l t resp ass to a b uil d i ng is a l esse r i nc l ud ed o f f en se o f crim i na l t resp ass to a ha b itatio n . See T EX . C O D E C R IM . P R OC . A NN . art . 37
. 0 9 (V ernon 2 0 0 6 ).

- 4- S.J .P. committ ed cr im i n al t re s p ass to a habitation super cede d and re place d the orig inal petition alleg ing trespass to a building. T EX . R. C IV . P. 65 (providing that an amende d pleadingsubstitut es and tak e s th e p la c e o f

th e o r ig in a l p le a d in g )
. T h e e le me n ts o f c r im in a l t

r e s p a s s to a

h a bitation
a pp lic a ble to t his c a se are that: (1 ) a pe rs on , (2) int e nti on a lly or kn ow ing ly , ( 3) e nte rs or

re ma ins in a habitation, (4) without the effe ctive conse nt of the o wner , (5) having notice that entry was forbidden. T EX . P EN A L C ODE ANN . § 30 .0 5( a )( 1) & (d )( 3) (o ff e ns e is a Cl ass A m isd e me ano r i f
c omm itt e d to a

ha bit a tio n) ; se e als o T EX . P EN A L C ODE ANN . § 3 0
. 0 1 (1 ) ( Ve rn o n2 0 0 3 ) ( d ef i n i n g a “habitation” a s a “struc ture or vehicle that is a dapted for the over night a ccommodation of pe rsons”). Howeve r, S.J .P.’s ple a of true as ref lected in the written plea paper s, as well as duringthe ora l plea colloquy befor e the c ourt, was to the or igina l alleg ation of delinquent c onduct base d on crimi nal tr e s p a s s to a

b u il d in g , w h ic his a

le s s e r in c lu d e d o f f e n s e o f tr e s p a s s to a

h a b it a tion. 1 A tth e adjudication hea

ring , the trial cour

t admonished S.J .P. that the St at e had alleg ed he c ommitt ed criminal trespa ss to a building, and a cce pted his plea of true to that alleg ation. The c ourt continued with the require d admonishments and then made a findingthat the State’s evide nce “ does support the charg e of criminal t respa ss that I had read to y ou ear lier.” After both sides rested a nd closed on adjudication, the court stated, “I ’m g oing to a cce pt your plea of true to this cha rg e today , . . . and I am going to find y ou have e ng ag ed in delinquent conduc t.” As noted, the c ourt’s written or der of adjudication states that S.J .P. eng ag ed in delinquent conduct by committing criminal trespass to a h ab i t at i o n , n o tt o a b u i l d i n g.04
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- 5- Th e re c or d c le a

rl y re fl e c ts S. J.P.’ s int e nt to e nte r a ple a of tr ue to t he le sse r i nc lud e d o ff

e ns e of cr iminal trespass to a build i n g, an d t h e trial court’s ac cepta nce of such a ple a and f

inding of delinquent conduc t based on c riminal trespass to a building , without any objection. SeeT EX . F AM . C ODE ANN . § 54.03(f) (Ve rnon Supp. 2009) (providinga juvenile may be adjudic at ed as having eng ag ed in conduc t constituti ng a lesser included offe nse as provided by article s 37.08 and 37.09 of the Cod e of

Cr imi na l Pr oc e dure ); Id. § 5 4. 03 (h ) ( Ve rn on Sup p. 20 09 ) ( re qu ir ingc ourt to s tate “which of the alleg ations in the petition were f ound to be established by the evidenc e”) . Moreove r, it i s und isp ute d th a t th e re c or d c on ta ins su ff ic ie nt e vid e nc e su

pp or tin g the c ourt ’s fi nd ing that S. J.P. committed criminal trespa ss to a building. Id. § 5 4
. 0 3 (f ) (providing that the cour t’s finding of delinquent conduc t must be based on compe tent eviden ce ad m i t ted at the a djudication hear ing)
. Th e re fo re , th e e rr on e ou s st a te me nt i n the a dju dic a tio n o rd e r t hat S. J.P. c omm itt e d c ri min a l tr e sp a ss to a ha bit a tio n, a Cla ss Amis de me ano r, do e s not a ff e c t th e va lid ity

of the c ourt ’s jud g me nt b e c a us e the evidenc e is sufficie nt to prove that S.J .P. committ ed the lesse r Class B misdemea nor of c riminal trespass to a building
. See In re J.M
. , 287 S.W .3d 481, 491 (Tex. App.—Texarkana 2009, no pet.) (e rr or in wr itt e n mod if

ic a tio n or de r that juv e nil e vio late d pr ob a tio n by c omm itt ing the ft punis ha ble by confine ment did not affe ct validity of judg ment b ec au s e evidence wa s sufficient to show commission of theft punishable by fine only , which still constitut ed a violation of pr obation). An a pp e llate c ourt

ha s th e a uth or ity to c or re c t, m od if

y , a nd re fo rm a jud g me nt i n a

juv e nil e
case to make the r ecor d speak the truth when it has the ne cessa ry i n formation to do s o. Id. ; In re K.B. , 10 6 S.W. 3d 91 3, 91 6 (T e x. Ap p. —D a lla s 20 03 , no pe t.) ; In reJ .K. N. , 115 S.W .3d 166, 174 (T e x. Ap p. —F or

t Wor th 20 03 , no pe t.) . We the re fo re mod if y the tr ia l c ourt ’s a dju dic a tio n o rd e r t o
corr ectly ref lect the ty pe of de linquent conduct in which the c ourt found S.J .P. eng ag ed, i.e. , criminal04
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- 6- trespass to a building . T EX . R. A PP . P. 4 3. 2( b) ; T EX . F AM . C ODE ANN . § 56.01(i) (V ernon Supp. 2009) (appe llate court may modify the judgme nt or order in a juvenile court adjudication). The trial court’s or der of

adjudication is aff

irmed as modified. Order of D ispositi on As discussed, su

pra , S.J .P. entere d a plea of true in the adjudication procee ding; howe ver, the re wa s n o p le a

a g re e me nt a s to dis po sit ion . O n a pp e a l, S .J.P. a sse rt s th e tr ial c ourt a bu se d it s dis c re tio n in

e nte ri nga dis po sit ion or de r wh ic h pla c e d him on pr ob a tio n o uts ide his ho me . Juv e nil e courts have broad discr etion in determininga suitable disposition for a c hild adjudicate d of eng ag ing in delinquent conduct. In reK.J .N. , 103 S.W .3d 465, 465-66 (Te x . App.—San Antonio 2003, no pe t.) . A n a

pp e llate c ourt

wi ll n ot r e ve rs e a

juv eni le c ourt ’s de te rm inatio n o f a n a pp ro pr iate dispositi on unless the cour t abused its discretion. Id. ; In re J.P. , 136 S.W .3d 629, 633 (Tex. 2004). A juvenile cour

t commits an abuse of discr etion only if it acts arbitrarily , unrea sonably , or without ref ere nce to guiding r

ules and princ iples. In reK.J .N. , 103 S.W .3d at 466. He re , th e tr ia l c ourt

fo un d a ne e d f or dis po sit ion

and or de re d S. J.P. p la c e d o n p ro batio n unti l his eig hteenth birthday

outside his home, i n the custody of t he C hief J uvenile P robation Off icer for purposes of long -term r esidential plac ement in a suitable f oster home or

public or private institution,
o th e r th an th e T e xa s Y o u th Co mm is s ion. SeeT EX . F AM . C ODE ANN . § 54.04(d)( 1)(B ) (Ve rnon Supp. 2009). I n making its deter mination, the cour

t considere d the written pre dispositi on repor t, the written st atement by

S.J .P.’s mother, and the r ecommendations by the probation officer , the staff ing
c omm itt e e , a

nd the State . T he pr ob a tion off ice r a nd sta ff ingc omm itt e e re c omm e nd e d th a t S. J.P. be pla c e d o n p ro batio n un ti l hi s e ig hte e nth bir thd ay in t he c us tod y of his mot he r. Ho we ve r, his mot he r’ s p are nta l st a te me nt e xpla ine d th a t bo th s he and S.J.P. ’s fa the r ar e ve ry ill and are un a ble to04
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- 7- adequately supervise S.J .P.; his mother re quested plac ement for S.J .P., stating her

belief that it was in his best interest. T h e S t at e re commended pr obation outside the home base d on the par ental statement, as we ll as S.J .P.’s prior juvenile re cord, his lack of supe rvision and long -term a bsence fr om s c ho ol. In d e c idi ngto p la c e S.J.P. on pr ob a tio n o uts ide the ho me , th e tr ia l c ourt ve rb a lly stated, “The fac tual rea son that I ’m order ing you into placement is beca use at this tim e I

find that y ou
are in need of

a ver y structure d and very thera peutic environment in or der to be reha bilitated.” The
c ourt ’s wr itt e n o rd e r o f d isp os iti on c on ta ins the re qu ir e d statut or y fi nd ing s that it is i n S. J.P.’ s b e st interest to be plac ed outside the home, rea sonable efforts we re ma de to pre vent the nee d for r emoval from the home a

nd make it possible for the child to r eturn home, a nd in his home the child cannot be provide d t h e quality

of ca re a nd level of suppor

t and supervision that he ne eds to meet the conditions of probation. SeeT EX . F AM . C ODE ANN . § 54.04(i) (V ernon Supp. 2009). The dispositi on order

also includes the f

ollowing spe cific r easons f or plac ement of the child outside the home: Child i n need of a sec ure a nd structure d environment; followed r ecommendation of the State; ne e ds tr e a tme nt f or su bs tanc e a bu se ; pa re nts have ins uf

fi c ie nt s kil ls t o pr op e rl y su pe rv ise the ir

c hil d; c hil d in

ne e d o f a the ra pe uti c e nv ir onme nt; c hil d is a dang er to self or others; child found de linquent in past and may commit new offe nse; history of runaw ay ; c hild ha s the followingconduct disorde rs: depre ssion, A.D.H.D., bipolar D; and pa st coca ine and mar ijuana use.
B a se d o n th e re c or d a

nd the c ourt ’s fi nd in gs , w e c on c lud e the c ourt did no t a bu se its discretion in pla cing S.J .P. on probation outside the home for purposes of long- term plac ement. See In reK.J .N. , 103 S.W .3d at 466. S.J .P.’s issue challeng ing his disposition is overruled.04
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- 8- Conclu sion Ba sed on the for eg oing a

naly sis, we modify

the trial cour

t’s order of adjudication to reflec t that S.J .P. eng aged in delinquent conduct by committing the off

ense of criminal trespa ss to a building, and a ffirm the tria l court’s judg ment as modified.
Phy lis J . Speedlin, J ustice