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STATE OF WEST VIRGINIA

SUPREME COURT OF APPEALS

State of West Virginia, 

Plaintiff Below, Respondent

vs.) No. 19-0737 (Jefferson County CC-19-2016-F-132)

Donna Elizabeth Weed,

Defendant Below, Petitioner

MEMORANDUM DECISION

Petitioner Donna Elizabeth Weed, by counsel Robert E. Barrat, appeals the July 8, 2019, 

order of the Circuit Court of Jefferson County sentencing her to an indeterminate one-to-five-year 

term of incarceration, which was suspended for probation, and three years of supervised release for 

a felony conviction of child neglect creating a risk of injury. The State of West Virginia, by counsel 

Mary Beth Niday, filed a response in support of the circuit court’s order. Petitioner filed a reply. 

On appeal, petitioner argues that the circuit court erred in extending her probationary term in order 

for her to participate in drug court.1

The Court has considered the parties’ briefs and the record on appeal. The facts and legal 

arguments are adequately presented, and the decisional process would not be significantly aided by 

oral argument. Upon consideration of the standard of review, the briefs, and the record presented, 

the Court finds no substantial question of law and no prejudicial error. For these reasons, a 

memorandum decision affirming the circuit court’s order is appropriate under Rule 21 of the Rules 

of Appellate Procedure.

In December of 2016, petitioner was sentenced to an indeterminate one-to-five-year term of 

incarceration for one count of child neglect creating substantial risk of injury, a felony. Her sentence 

was suspended for three years of probation. Additionally, petitioner was sentenced to three years 

of supervised release pursuant to West Virginia Code § 62-12-26.

In June of 2019, in response to a motion to revoke her probation, petitioner admitted to 

testing positive for illegal substances on two different occasions in March and May of 2019, which 

1References to “drug court” in this memorandum decision refer to the supervision programs 

set forth in the “West Virginia Drug Offender Accountability and Treatment Act.” See W. Va. Code 

§§ 62-51-1, et seq.

FILED

September 23, 2020

EDYTHE NASH GAISER, CLERK

SUPREME COURT OF APPEALS

OF WEST VIRGINIA
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was in violation of the terms of her probation.2 Accordingly, the circuit court revoked petitioner’s 

probation. The State moved to reinstate petitioner’s probation, add a requirement that she complete 

the drug court program, and extend the term of her probation by three years. Petitioner agreed to 

participate in drug court as a term of her probation, but argued that she could complete the program 

during her supervised release and that adding additional years of probation was unnecessary. 

Ultimately, the circuit court reinstated petitioner’s probation and extended it for two years, with an 

added condition that she complete the drug court program. The court further ordered that petitioner 

be subject to three years of supervised release, as previously ordered. The circuit court’s decision 

was memorialized by its July 8, 2019, sentencing order. Petitioner now appeals that order.

On appeal, petitioner argues that the circuit court erred in extending her term of probation 

because the extension was unnecessary and excessive. Petitioner correctly notes that, pursuant to 

West Virginia Code § 62-12-26, persons subject to supervised release “shall be subject to any or all 

of the conditions applicable to a person placed upon probation.” She avers that she could have 

participated in the drug court program while serving her three-year term of supervised release and, 

therefore, the extension of her probation was unnecessary. Petitioner argues that without 

intervention she would be subject to “endless probation.” We find petitioner is entitled to no relief 

on appeal.

This Court reviews sentencing orders “under a deferential abuse of discretion standard, 

unless the order violates statutory or constitutional commands.” Syl. Pt. 1, in part, State v. Adams, 

211 W. Va. 231, 565 S.E.2d 353 (2002). We have also held that “[s]entences imposed by the trial 

court, if within statutory limits and if not based on some [im]permissible factor, are not subject to 

appellate review.” Syl. Pt. 4, State v. Goodnight, 169 W. Va. 366, 287 S.E.2d 504 (1982). 

Here, petitioner does not argue that her sentence is outside the bounds of statutory limits or 

based on some impermissible factor. Rather, petitioner’s indeterminate one-to-five-year term of 

incarceration is the sentence prescribed by West Virginia Code § 61-8D-4(c).3 Further, contrary to 

petitioner’s argument that she is potentially subject to “endless probation,” West Virginia Code §

62-12-11 requires that “[t]he period of probation together with any extension thereof shall not 

exceed seven years.” The circuit court has not violated any statutory commands by imposing a total 

of five years of probation thus far. Accordingly, the sentence imposed by the circuit court is not 

subject to appellate review.

For the foregoing reasons, the circuit court’s July 8, 2018, sentencing order is hereby 

affirmed.

2Notably, petitioner was sanctioned for a probation violation in November of 2018. 

However, the circumstances of that violation are unclear from the record.

3West Virginia Code §61-8D-4(c) provides 

If a parent, guardian or custodian grossly neglects a child and by that gross 

neglect creates a substantial risk of death or serious bodily injury . . . of the child 

then the parent, guardian or custodian is guilty of a felony and, upon conviction 

thereof, shall be . . . imprisoned in a state correctional facility for not less than one 

nor more than five years[.]
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Affirmed.

ISSUED: September 23, 2020

CONCURRED IN BY:

Chief Justice Tim Armstead

Justice Margaret L. Workman

Justice Elizabeth D. Walker

Justice Evan H. Jenkins

Justice John A. Hutchison