Case Name: PEOPLE v. GILLMAN
Court: Michigan Court of Appeals
Jurisdiction: Michigan
Decision Date: 1976-09-28
Citations: 71 Mich. App. 374
Docket Number: Docket No. 21438
Parties: PEOPLE v GILLMAN
Judges: Before: T. M. Burns, P. J., and V. J. Brennan and D. E. Holbrook, Jr., JJ.
Reporter: Michigan appeals reports; cases decided in the Michigan Court of Appeals.
Volume: 71
Pages: 374–387

Head Matter:
PEOPLE v GILLMAN
Opinion of the Court
1. Criminal Law — Probation Revocation — Notice—Statutes.
A probationer charged with violating a condition of his probation is entitled to a written copy of the charges against him (MCLA 771.4; MSA 28.1134).
2. Criminal Law — Probation Revocation — Notice—Due Process.
Notice of charges of probation violation must be given to a probationer sufficiently in advance of scheduled court proceedings so that a reasonable opportunity to prepare will be afforded, in order to comply with due process requirements.
3. Criminal Law — Probation Revocation — Hearings—Adequate Notice.
A probationer was not afforded a reasonable opportunity to prepare for a probation revocation hearing where he was served with the charges of probation violation 15 minutes before the hearing.
Dissent by V. J. Brennan, J.
4. Criminal Law — Probation Revocation — Constitutional Law— Statutes.
The Michigan statutory procedure governing probation revocation exceeds the requirements for such proceedings as set down by the U. S. Supreme Court (MCLA 771.4; MSA 28.1134).
References for Points in Headnotes
[1-4, 7, 8, 10] 21 Am Jur 2d, Criminal Law §§ 567, 568.
Right to notice and hearing before revocation of suspension of sentence, parole, conditional pardon, or probation. 29 ALR2d 1074.
[5, 6, 9] 21 Am Jur 2d, Criminal Law § 566.
21 Am Jur 2d, Criminal Law §§ 564, 565.
21 Am Jur 2d, Criminal Law § 585.
21 Am Jur 2d, Criminal Law §§ 566, 571.
60 Am Jur 2d, Penal and Correctional Institutions §§ 59, 62, 64.
Withdrawal, forfeiture, modification, or denial of good-time allowance to prisoner. 95 ALR2d 1265.
5. Criminal Law — Appeal and Error — Probation Revocation— Hearings — Scope of Appeal.
The Court of Appeals, in an appeal from a probation revocation hearing, will not review alleged errors relating to the original conviction for which the defendant was placed on probation.
6. Criminal Law — Appeal and Error — Probation Revocation— Scope of Appeal.
An unappealed conviction, which was the basis for revocation of probation, is not a proper subject for review on appeal of the probation revocation.
7. Criminal Law — Probation Revocation — Evidence.
Revocation of probation is justified where a probation violation is established by a preponderance of the evidence.
8. Criminal Law — Probation Revocation — Notice—Prejudice— Continuance.
An order for probation revocation should not be reversed because the probationer was served with the charges of probation violation only a short time before the hearing where (1) nothing which could be meaningfully contested was denied by the probationer, (2) defense counsel could have requested a continuance but did not do so, and (3) the probationer was not prejudiced.
9. Criminal Law — Probation—Grace—Judges—Statutes.
Granting or denying probation is a matter of grace; the statutory authority of a sentencing judge granting probation is broad, as is his power to amend the probation order (MCLA 771.1; MSA 28.1131).
10. Criminal Law — Appeal and Error — Probation—Statutory Rights — Constitutional Rights.
An appellate court should not interfere in probation matters absent a showing of a violation or abuse of statutory authority or violation of some constitutional right.
11. Criminal Law — Probation—Alcoholic Beverages.
A condition of probation that the probationer refrain from using alcoholic beverages may be lawfully imposed where it bears a reasonable relation to rehabilitation.
12. Criminal Law — Sentencing—Prior Convictions — Right to Counsel.
A sentencing court may not consider a defendant’s prior convictions where the convictions were obtained without beneñt of counsel and are invalid under U. S. Supreme Court precedent.
13. Criminal Law — Sentencing—Prior Convictions — Appeal and Error — Right to Counsel.
The Court of Appeals, on appeal from an order revoking probation and imposing sentence, will not review a claim that the court when sentencing considered invalid prior convictions where (1) the convictions occurred prior to defendant’s initial placement on probation, (2) defendant did not then object to consideration of prior convictions, and (3) defendant has failed to follow the procedure set out by state court precedent for asserting such a claim.
14. Criminal Law — Probation—Sentencing—Revocation—Statutes.
A probationer, when probation is revoked, may be sentenced to the same penalty as if the probation order had never been made (MCLA 771.4; MSA 28.1134).
15. Criminal Law — Probation—Jail Sentence — Revocation-Credit for Time Served.
A court may require a probationer to be imprisoned in county jail for not more than six months as ■a condition of probation; however, credit for time served in jail while on probation need not be given when sentencing a defendant after revoking his probation.
Appeal from Lenawee, Rex B. Martin, J.
Submitted April 6, 1976, at Lansing.
(Docket No. 21438.)
Decided September 28, 1976.
Archie Gillman was convicted, on his plea of guilty, of breaking and entering, and he was placed on probation. Probation revoked. Defendant appeals.
Reversed.
Frank J. Kelley, Attorney General, Robert A. Derengoski, Solicitor General, and Harvey A. Koselka, Prosecuting Attorney (Prosecuting Attor neys Appellate Service, by Lee Wm. Atkinson, Special Assistant Attorney General, of counsel), for the people.
F Michael Schuck, III, Assistant State Appellate Defender, for defendant.
Before: T. M. Burns, P. J., and V. J. Brennan and D. E. Holbrook, Jr., JJ.

Opinion:
T. M. Burns, P. J.
In 1973 defendant pled guilty to breaking and entering and was placed on probation for five years. In 1974 defendant was convicted of breaking and entering. Subsequent to that conviction and just prior to the sentence hearing, defendant was served with several charges of probation violation. An immediate hearing was held and defendant's probationary sentence was revoked. Defendant appeals the trial court's order of probation revocation.
Defendant raises several issues on appeal, one is dispositive.
Defendant alleges that he received written notice of the probation violation charges 15 minutes before the hearing. The prosecutor does not challenge that allegation. A probationer charged with violating a condition of his probation is entitled to a written copy of the charges against him. MCLA 771.4; MSA 28.1134. To comply with due process requirements, the notice must be given sufficiently in advance of scheduled court proceedings so that reasonable opportunity to prepare will be afforded. In re Gault, 387 US 1, 33; 87 S Ct 1428; 18 L Ed 2d 527 (1967), People v Gulley, 66 Mich App 112; 238 NW2d 421 (1975), People v Bell, 67 Mich App 351; 241 NW2d 203 (1976). Fifteen minutes does not meet the test of reasonable opportunity to prepare.
The order revoking defendant's probation is set aside and this cause is remanded to the trial court without prejudice to conduct a proper hearing.
D. E. Holbrook, Jr., J., concurred.