D A 0 9

- 0 4 6 1

I N T H E S U P R E M E C O U

R T O F T H E S T

A T E O F M O N T

A N A

2 0 0 9 M T 4 5 2

S T A T E O F M O N T

A N A

,

P l a i n t i f f a n d A p p e l l e e

,

v

.

M A R K A L A

N B R O W N

,

D e f e n d a n t a n d A

p p e l l a n t

.

APPEAL FROM: District Court of the Twenty

- First Judicial District,

I n a n d F o r t h e C o u

n t y o f R a v a l l i

, C a

u s e N o

. D C 2 0 0 8

- 1 6 3

H o n o r a b l e J e f f r e y H

. L a n g t o n

, P r e s i d i

n g J u d g e

C O U N S E L O F R E C O R D :

F o r A p p e l l a n t :

E d m u n d F

. S h e e h

y

, J r

. , R e g i o n a l D e p u t y P u b l i c D e f e n d e r

, M i s s o u l a

, M o n t a n a

F o r A p p e l l e e :

H o n

. S t e v e B u l l o c k

, M o n t a n a A t t o r n e y G e n e r a l

, M a r

k W

. M a t t i o l i

, A s s i s t a n t A t t o r

n e y G e n e r a l

, H e l e n a

, M o n t a n a

G e o r g e H

. C o r

n

, R a v a l l i C o u n t y A t t o r

n e y

, T

. G e o f

f r e y M a h a r

, D e p u t y

C o u n t y A t t o r n e y

, H a m i l

t o n

, M o n t a n a

S u b m i t t e d o n B r i e f

s : N o v e m b e r 2 5

, 2 0 0 9

D e c i d e d : D e c e m b e r 3 1

, 2 0 0 9

F i l e d :

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ C l e r k December 31 20092

Justice James C. Nelson delivered the Opinion of the Court.

¶ 1 M a r k B r o w

n p l e d g u i l t y i n t h e D i s t r i c t C o u r

t f o r t h e T w e n t y

- F i r s t J

u d i c i a l D i s t r i c t

,

R a v a l l i C o u n t y

, t o t h e c h a r g

e o f d r i v i n g u n d e r t h e i n f l u e n c e

, a f e l o n y

. A s a c o n d i t i o n o f

h i s s u s p e n d e d s e n t e

n c e

, t h e c o u r

t o r d e r e d t

h a t B r o w n r e i m b u r s e t h e S t a t e f

o r t h e c o s t s o f

h i s c o u r t

- a p p o i n t e d c o u n s e l b y m a k i n g p a y m e n t s t o t h e R a v a l l i C o u n t y C l e r k o f C o u r t

.

B r o w n a p p e a l s t h i s p o r t i o n o f h i s s e n t e n c e

. W e a f f i r m

.

¶ 2 T h e i s s u e o n a p p e a l

, a s r e p h r a s e d b y t h i s C o u r t

, i s : D i d t h e D i s t r i c t C o u r t e r r

w h e n i t o r d e r e d B r o w

n t o r e i m b u r s e t h e S t a t e f

o r t h e c o s t o f h i s c o u r t

- a p p o i n t e d c o u n s e l

b y m a k i n g p a y m e n t s t o t h e R a v a l l i C o u n t y C l e r k o f C o u r t r a t h e r t h a n t h e O f f i c e o f t h e

S t a t e P u b l i c D e f e n d e r ( O S P D ) ?

Factual and Procedural Background

¶ 3 O n N o v

e m b e r 2 8

, 2 0 0 8

, B r o w

n w a s c h a r g

e d b y I n f o r m a t i o n w i t h D r i v i n g U n d e r

t h e I n f l u e n c e of Alcohol or Drugs (DUI) in violati on o f § 6 1

- 8

- 4 0 1

, M C A

. B e c a u s e t h i s

w a s B r o w

n ’ s f o u r t h o f f e n s e

, t h e c h a r g

e w a s r a i s e d t o a f

e l o n y

. B r o w

n o r i g i n a l l y p l e d n o t

g u i l t y

, b u t

, p u r s u a n t t o a p l e a a g

r e e m e n t

, h e e v

e n t u a l l y p l e d g

u i l t y t o t h e c h a r g e

.

¶ 4 A t t h e J

u n e 2 4

, 2 0 0 9 s e n

t e n c i n g h e a r i n g

, t h e c o u r t o r d e r e d t

h a t B r o w

n b e

c o m m i t t e d t o t h e D e p a r t m e n t o f C o r r e c t i o n s f o r t h i r t e e n m o n t h s t o b e f

o l l o w e d b y a

f i v e

- year suspended sentence. Because t he c ourt determined that Brown had the ability

to pay his attorney’s fees, it ordered the OSPD to calcu late the amount of attorney’s fees

and that those fees should be paid through the Clerk of Court at a rate set by Brown’s

probation officer

. The following exchange then took place between the court and

B r o w n ’ s c o u n s e l :3 MS. JOHNS [ B r o w

n ’ s c o u n s e l ] : O b

j e c t i o n

, Y o u r H o n o r

, t o t h e

C l e r k o f C o u r t ?

T H E C O U R T : T h e p a y m e n t s w i l l b e p a i d t o t h e C l e r k o f C o u r t

,

w h o i n t u r n w i l l k e e p a r e c o r d o f t h o s e a n d s e n d t h e m t o t h e [ O S P D ]

.

MS. JOHNS: It’s my understanding that those are to be paid directly

to the [OSP D].

THE COURT: Well, that’s not my understanding. They are payable

to the [OSPD]. T h e r e ’ s n o r e a s o n t h e y c a n n o t o r s h o u l d n o t b e p a i d

t h r o u g h t h e O f f i c e o f t h e C l e r k o f D i s t r i c t C o u r t

. W e h a v e n o w a y o f

k n o w i n g w

h e t h e r t h e y w e r e p a i d ; a n d i f s o

, h o w m u c h

, u n l e s s t h e y a r e p a i d

t h r o u g h t h e c l e r k

. T h e y w i l l m a i n t a i n a n i n d e p e n d e n t r e c o r d

.

MS. JOHNS: Would there be an order regarding the distribution of

a m o u n t s p a i d

. I u n d e r s t a n d t h a t t h e C l e r k o f C o u r t

, t h e r e ’ s a s e t o r d e r a s t o

h o w h i s p a y

m e n t s a r e t o b e d i s b u r s e d f o r c e r t a i n f

e e s a n d f i n e s

.

THE COURT: How they allocate the payments as to what he owes

should be governed by statutes. You are welcome to have input with the

c l e r k a s t o h o w t h e y d o t h a t

, b u t I b e l i e v

e t h a t ’ s a l l s e t b y l a w

.

T h e r e a f t e r

, i n i t s w

r i t t e n J u d g m e n t a n d C o m

m i t m e n t

, t h e D i s t r i c t C o u r t s t a t e d :

T h e D e f e n d a n t w i l l r e i m

b u r s e t h e S t a

t e o f M o n

t a n a $ 5 0 0

. 0 0 f

o r t h e c o s t o f

h i s C o u r t

- a p p o i n

t e d a t t o r n e y

. A l l p a y

m e n t s w i l l b e m a d e b y m o n e y o r d e r

o r c a s h i e r s c h e c k a n d s e n t t o t h e R a v a l l i C o u n t y C l e r k o f D i s t r i c t C o u r t

, 2 0 5 B e d f o r d

, S u i t e D

, H a m

i l t o n

, M T 5 9 8 4 0

, w

h o i n t u r n w i l l k e e p a r e c o r d

o f t h e s e p a y

m e n t s a n d f

o r w a r d t h e m t o t h e [ O S P D ]

.

¶ 5 B r o w

n n o w a p p e a l s t h i s c o n d i t i o n o f h i s s e n t e n c e

.

Standard of Review

¶ 6 The interpretation and co nstruction of a statute is a matter of law which we review

de novo to determine whether the district court ’ s i n t e r p r e t a t i o n a n d c o n s t r

u c t i o n o f t h e

s t a t u t e i s c o r r e c t

. State v. Weaver

, 2 0 0 8 M T 8 6

, ¶ 1 0

, 3 4 2 M o n t

. 1 9 6

, 1 7 9 P

. 3 d 5 3 44

( c i t i n g M i l l e r v

. E i g h t e e n t h J u d i c i a l D i s t

. C

o u r t

, 2007 MT 1 4 9

, ¶ 2 2

, 3 3 7 M o n t

. 4 8 8

, 1 6 2

P

. 3 d 1 2 1 ; Thompson v. State, 2 0 0 7 M T 1 8 5

, ¶ 1 4

, 3 3 8 M o n t

. 5 1 1

, 1 6 7 P

. 3 d 8 6 7 )

.

Discussion

¶ 7 D i d t h e D i s t

r i c t C o u r t e r r w h e n i t o r d e

r e d B r o w n t o r e i m b u r

s e t h e S t a t e f o r

t h e c o s t o f h i s c o u r t

- a

p p o i n t e d c o u n s e l b

y m a k i n g payments to the Ravalli County

Clerk of Court rather than the OSPD?

¶ 8 Brown contends on appeal that the District Court had no statutory authority to

order repayment of attorney’s fees to the Clerk of Court, and that repayment must be

made, instead, directly to the OSPD. Brown’s ability to pay the $500 in attorney’s fees is

not disputed. Rather, Brown argues that the court’s order “is contrary to the mandatory

l a n g u a g e ” o f § 4 6

- 8

- 1 1 4

, M C A

, w h i c h p r o v i d e s :

T i m e a n d m e t h o d o f p a y m e n t

. W h e n a d e f e n d a n t i s s e n t e n c e d t o

p a y t h e c o s t s o f a s s i g

n e d c o u n s e l p u r s u a

n t t o 4 6

- 8

- 1 1 3

, t h e c o u r t m a y o r d e r

p a y m e n t t o b e m a d e w i t h i n a s p e c i f i e d p e r i o d o f t i m e o r i n s p e c i f i e d

i n s t a l l m e n t s

. P

a y m e n t s m u s t b e m a d e t o t h e o

f f i c e o f s t a t e p u b l i c d e

f e n d e r

,

p r o v i d e d f o r i n 4 7

- 1

- 2 0 1

, a n d d e p o s i t e d i n t h e a c c o u n

t e s t a b l i s h e d i n

4 7

- 1

- 1 1 0 [ t h e p u b l i c d e f e n d e r a c c o u n

t i n t h e S t a

t e s p e c i a l r e v

e n u e f u n d ]

. [ E m p h a s i s a d d e d

. ]

¶ 9 The State a r g

u e s t h a t B r o w

n r e l i e s o n § 4 6

- 8

- 1 1 4

, M C A

, i n i s o l a t i o n

, w h i l e

i g n o r i n g o t h e r s t a t

u t o r y p r o v i s i o n s t h a t p r

o v i d e d i s t r i c t c o u r t s w i t h a u t h o r i t y t o o r

d e r

p a y m e n t s t o b e p a i d t

h r o u g h t h e i r c l e r k s o f c o u r t

. T h e S t a t e c o n t e n d s t h a t d i s t r i c t c o u r t s

h a v e t h e a u t h o r i t y t o u s e t h e i r o w n c l e r k s o f c o u r t t o m o n i t o r a n d t r a n s m i t c o u r t

- o r d e r e d

p a y m e n t s

, i n c l u d i n g p a y

m e n t s t o t h e O S P D

. T o t h a t e n d

, t h e S t a

t e r e l i e s o n t

h e

f o l l o w i n g s t a t u t o r y p r o v

i s i o n s :

W h e n a d e f e n d a n t w h o i s s e n t e n c e d t o p a y t h e c o s t s o f a s s i g n e d c o u n s e l

d e f a u l t s i n p a y

m e n t o f t h e c o s t s o r o f a n y i n s t a l l m e n t

, t h e c o u r t o n m o t i o n

o f t h e p r o s e c u t o r o r o n i t s o w

n m o t i o n m a

y r e q u i r e t

h e d e f e n d a n t t o s h o w5

c a u s e w h y t h e d e f a u l t s h o u l

d n o t b e t

r e a t e d a s c o n t e m

p t o f c o u r t a n d m a

y

issue a show cause citatio n or an arrest warrant requiring the defendant ’ s

a p p e a r a n c e

.

S e c t i o n 4 6

- 8

- 1 1 5 ( 1 )

, M C A ( e m p h a s i s a d d e d )

.

E x c e p t a s o t h e r w i s e p r o v i d e d i n 4 6

- 1 8

- 2 3 6 ( 7 ) (

b ) a n d t h i s s e c t i o n

, i f

a d e f e n d a n t i s s u b

j e c t t o p a y

m e n t o f r e s t i t u t i o n a n d a n y c o m b i n a t i o n o f

f i n e s

, c o s t s

, c h a r g

e s u n d e r t h e p r o v

i s i o n s o f 4 6

- 1 8

- 2 3 6

, o r o t h e r p a y m e n t s

, 5 0 % o f a l l m o n e y c o l l e c t e d f r o m t h e d e f

e n d a n t m u s t b e a p p l i e d t o p a y

m e n t

o f r e s t i t u t i o n a n d t h e b a l a n c e m u s t b e a p p l i e d t o o t h e r p a y m e n t s i n t h e

f o l l o w i n g o r d e r : ( a ) p a y m e n t o f c h a r g

e s i m p o s e d p u r s u a n

t t o 4 6

- 1 8

- 2 3 6 ; ( b ) p a y m e n t o f s u p e r v

i s o r y f e e s i m p o s e d p u r s u a

n t t o 4 6

- 2 3

- 1 0 3 1 ; ( c ) p a y m e n t o f c o s t s i m

p o s e d p u r s u a

n t t o 4 6

- 1 8

- 2 3 2 o r 4 6

- 1 8

- 2 3 3 ; ( d ) p a y m e n t o f f i n e s i m p o s e d p u r s u a n

t t o 4 6

- 1 8

- 2 3 1 o r 4 6

- 1 8

- 2 3 3 ;

a n d

( e ) a n y o t

h e r p a y m e n t s o r d e r e d b y t h e c o u r t

.

Section 46

- 18

- 251 (2) , MCA,

¶ 1 0 T h i s C o u r t ’ s r

u l e s o f s t a t u t o r y c o n s t r

u c t i o n r e q u i r e c o n s i d e r a t i o n a n d a p p l i c a t i o n

o f a l l t h r e e s t a

t u t e s i f p o s s i b l e

. A p r e s u m p t i o n e x i s t s t h a t t h e L e g i s l a t u r e d o e s n o t p a s s

m e a n i n g l e s s l e g i s l a t i o n ; a c c o r d i n g l y

, t h i s C o u r t m

u s t h a r m o n i z e s t a t u t e s r e l a t i n g t o t h e

s a m e s u b j e c t

, a s m

u c h a s p o s s i b l e

, g i v i n g e f f e c t t o e a c h

. O s t e r v

. V

a l l e y C o u n t y , 2006

M T 1 8 0

, ¶ 1 7

, 3 3 3 M o n t

. 7 6

, 1 4 0 P

. 3 d 1 0 7 9 ( c i t i n g Chain v. Montana Dept. of Motor

Vehicles

, 2 0 0 1 M T 2 2 4

, ¶ 1 5

, 3 0 6 M o n t

. 4 9 1

, 3 6 P

. 3 d 3 5 8 )

. T h i s C o u r t a l s o p r e s u m e s

t h a t t h e L e g

i s l a t u r e a c t e d w i t h d e l i b e r a t i o n a n d w i t h f u l l k n o w l e d g e o f a l l e x i s t i n g l a w s

o n a s u b j e c t

. State v. Brendal

, 2 0 0 9 M T 2 3 6

, ¶ 1 8

, 3 5 1 M o n t

. 3 9 5

, 2 1 3 P

. 3 d 4 4 8 ( c i t i n g

R o s s v

. C i t y o f G r e a t F a l l s , 1998 MT 276, ¶ 17, 291 Mont. 377, 967 P.2d 1103).

¶ 1 1 I n t h e c a s e sub judice

, t h e p l a i n l a n g u a g e o f § 4 6

- 8

- 1 1 4

, M C A

, d e m o n s t r a t e s a

l e g i s l a t i v e i n t e n t t h a

t f u n d s i n t e n d e d f o r t h e r e i m

b u r s e m e n t o f a c o u r t

- a

p p o i n t e d a t t o r n e y6

b e d e p o s i t e d

, w i t h o u

t a l l o c a t i o n t o o t h e r f

e e s a n d c o s t s

, i n t o t h e p u b l i c d e f e n d e r a c c o u n

t

i n t h e S t a t e s p e c i a l r e v e n u e f u n d

. I f t h e L e g i s l a t u r e h a d w a n t e d t o m a k e the

reimbursement of court

- appointed attorney’s fees subject to § 46

- 18

- 251(2), MCA, it

would not have used the language that it did in § 46

- 8

- 114, MCA.

¶ 1 2 C o n s e q u e

n t l y

, w e a g

r e e w i t h B r o w

n t h a t t h e O S P D s t a t u t o r y s c h e m e p r e v a i l s o v e r

t h e m o r e g

e n e r a l s t a t u t e s p e r

t a i n i n g t o c l e r k s o f c o u r t

. S e e S t a t e v

. O i e

, 2007 MT 328,

¶ 17, 340 Mont. 205, 174 P.3d 937 (citing § 1

- 2

- 1 0 2

, M C A ( “ W h e n a g e n e r a l a n d

p a r t i c u l a r p r o v

i s i o n are inconsistent, the latter is paramount to the former, so a particular

i n t e n t w i l l c o n t r

o l a g e n e r a l o n e t

h a t i s i n c o n s i s t e n t w i t h i t

. ” ) )

. T h a t i s n o t t o s a y

,

h o w e v e r

, t h a t

, i n t

h i s c a s e

, t h e v

a r i o u s s t a t u t e s c i t e d b y t h e p a r t i e s c a n n o t b e r e c o n c i l e d t o

g i v e e f f e c t t o a l l a s t h e S t a t e s u g g e s t s

. S e e Brendal , ¶ 29 (citing § 1

- 2

- 1 0 1

, M C A

( “ W h e r e there are several provisions or particulars, such a construction is, if possible, to

be adopted as will give effect to all.”) ).

¶ 1 3 W h i l e w e c o n c l u d e i n t h e i n s t a n t c a s e t h a t t

h e D i s t r i c t C o u r t w a s n o t p r o h i b i t e d

u n d e r o u r s t a t

u t o r y s c h e m e f

r o m o r d e r i n g p a y m e n t s t o b e m a d e t o t h e C l e r k o f C o u r t i n

o r d e r f o r t h e c o u r

t t o m o n i t o r w

h e t h e r B r o w n i n d e e d m a d e t h e r e q

u i r e d p a y m e n t s

, w e

a l s o p o i n t o u t t h a t t h e r e a r e o t h e r o p t i o n s a v a i l a b l e t o s e n t e

n c i n g c o u r t s

. A s B r o w

n

p o i n t s o u t i n h i s b r i e f o n a p p e a l

, s i n c e t h e r e i m b u r s e m e n t o f c o u r t

- appointed attorney’s

fees was made a condition of his p r o b a t i o n

, B r o w n ’ s p r o b a

t i o n o f f i c e r c o u l d h a v

e

m o n i t o r e d w

h e t h e r B r o w n w a s m a k i n g t h e p a y m e n t s a s r e q u i r e d

. I n a d d i t i o n

, i f t h e c o u r t

o r t h e p r o s e c u t i o n r e q u i r e d

, t h e r e w a s n o t h i n g p r e v e n t i n g O S P D f

r o m a d v i s i n g t h e m

w h e n o r i f i t h a d n o t r e c e i v e d p a y m e n t

.7

¶ 1 4 N e v

e r t h e l e s s

, w e h o l d t h a

t t h e D i s t r i c t C o u r t d i d n o t e r r i n r e q u i r i n g B r o w n t o

r e i m b u r s e t h e S t a

t e f o r t h e c o s t o f h i s c o u r t

- appointed counsel by making payments to the

Clerk of Court rather than the OSPD . However, we further hold that because of the

specific OSPD statutes, § 46

- 8

- 114, MCA, in p articular, the clerk cannot allocate those

f u n d s a s p r o v

i d e d i n § 4 6

- 1 8

- 2 5 1 ( 2 )

, M C A

. I n s t e a d

, t h e c l e r k m

u s t t r a n s m

i t a l l o f t h e

f u n d s e a r m a r k e d a s r e i m b u r s e m e n t f

o r c o u r t

- a p p o i n

t e d c o u n s e l t o t

h e O S P D a n d t h e

O S P D m u s t d e p o s i t t

h o s e f u n d s i n t o i t s t r

u s t a c c o u n t i n t h e S t a t e s p e c i a l r e v

e n u e f u n d a s

provided in § 47

- 1

- 110(2)(a), MCA.

¶ 1 5 A f f i r m e d

.

/ S / J A M E S C

. N E L S O N

W e c o n c u r :

/ S / M I K E M c G R A T H

/ S / W

. W I L L I

A M L E A P H A R T

/ S / B R I A N M O R R I S

/ S / J I M R I C E