Opinion ID: 2670360
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Waiver of Other Arguments

Text: This court reviews de novo whether or not a defendant waived his right to appeal his sentence. United States v. Bibler, 495 F.3d 621, 623 (9th Cir. 2007). “A defendant’s waiver of his appellate rights is enforceable if the language of the waiver encompasses his right to appeal on the grounds raised, and if the waiver was knowingly and voluntarily made.” United States v. Joyce, 357 F.3d 921, 922 (9th Cir. 2004). 10 UNITED STATES V. ODACHYAN Odachyan waived his remaining challenges.1 As described above, the plea agreement provided that Odachyan waived the right to appeal his sentence, with limited exceptions, as long as the sentence was within the statutory maximum, was constitutional, and was “within or below the range corresponding to a total offense level of 21, and the applicable criminal history category as determined by the [c]ourt.” None of the exceptions contemplated by the plea agreement apply here. The court imposed a sentence of 51 months’ imprisonment, which is within the ten-year statutory maximum. 18 U.S.C. §§ 1347(a), 1349. As noted above, the district court determined Odachyan’s criminal history category to be II. That category combined with a total offense level of 21 resulted in a guideline sentence of 41 to 51 months, and the sentence imposed was within that range. U.S.S.G. § 5A. Odachyan does not argue that the agreement was not knowingly and voluntarily made, and there is nothing that indicates that it was not. The court conducted a proper Rule 11 colloquy wherein Odachyan indicated he both understood and agreed to the waiver. Fed. R. Crim. P. 11; United States v. Watson, 582 F.3d 974, 986–87 (9th Cir. 2009) (Rule 11 colloquy shows defendant waived his appellate rights knowingly and voluntarily). 1 Odachyan argues that the district court used the wrong amount as the loss figure, erred in not granting a downward adjustment for minor role, erred in granting an upward adjustment for use of sophisticated means, and imposed a sentence that resulted in an unwarranted disparity in comparison to the sentence imposed on another participant in the conspiracy. UNITED STATES V. ODACHYAN 11 Odachyan instead contends that, because the plea agreement allows him to appeal certain issues including restitution and criminal history,2 and because it provides for the possibility that his conviction might be vacated or reversed on appeal,3 it should be read to allow him to appeal 2 The plea agreement included the following exception to Odachyan’s waiver of his right to appeal: Notwithstanding the foregoing, defendant retains any ability defendant has to appeal the amount or terms of any restitution order and the Court’s determination of defendant’s criminal history category and the conditions of supervised release imposed by the Court, with the exception of the following: conditions set forth in General Orders 318, 01-05, and/or 05-02 of this Court; the drug testing conditions mandated by 18 U.S.C. §§ 3563(a)(5) and 3583(d); and the alcohol and drug use conditions authorized by 18 U.S.C. § 3563(b)(7). 3 The plea agreement provides: Defendant agrees that if any count of conviction is vacated, reversed, or set aside, or the sophisticated means enhancement imposed by the Court to which the parties stipulated in this agreement is vacated or set aside, the USAO [U.S. Attorney’s Office] may: (a) ask the Court to resentence defendant on any remaining count of conviction, with both the USAO and defendant being released from any stipulations regarding sentencing contained in this agreement, (b) ask the Court to void the entire plea agreement and vacate defendant's guilty plea on any remaining count of conviction, with both the USAO and defendant being released from all of their obligations under this agreement, or (c) leave defendant’s remaining 12 UNITED STATES V. ODACHYAN his sentence on other grounds as well. That argument lacks merit. Plea agreements are interpreted using contract principles. Watson, 582 F.3d at 986. The plea agreement here contains an integration clause stating there are no understandings between the parties that are not included in the agreement. At a minimum, the integration clause creates a rebuttable presumption that if a right to appeal is not explicitly provided for, as an exception to the general waiver, it does not exist. See United States v. Ahn, 231 F.3d 26, 36 (D.C. Cir. 2000) (“Standing alone, such a clause would be strong evidence that no implied promises existed–after all, integration clauses establish that the written plea bargain was adopted by the parties as a complete and exclusive statement of the terms of the agreement.” (quoting United States v. Fentress, 792 F.2d 461, 464 (4th Cir.1986), and collecting additional authorities) (internal quotation marks omitted)). Odachyan’s arguments do not overcome this presumption. That the plea agreement permitted an appeal on certain specified grounds and acknowledged the possibility of reversal or vacatur on appeal does not support the proposition that the defendant is permitted to appeal on other grounds. To the contrary, the fact that a waiver of the right to appeal explicitly sets out certain exceptions supports the proposition that the right to appeal is limited to those exceptions. See, e.g., Murphy v. DirecTV, Inc., 724 F.3d 1218, 1234 (9th Cir. 2013) (applying the “expressio unius est exclusio alterius” maxim of statutory construction in the context of contract interpretation). The point of making an exception is to depart from the general rule, which in this case is his waiver of the conviction, sentence, and plea agreement intact. Defendant agrees that the choice among these three options rests in the exclusive discretion of the USAO. UNITED STATES V. ODACHYAN 13 right to appeal. Odachyan does not contend that his arguments on appeal fall within the exceptions explicitly outlined, and thus they are barred by the general waiver. The language of the waiver encompasses Odachyan’s right to appeal on the other grounds he has attempted to raise, and the waiver was knowingly and voluntarily made. We therefore dismiss Odachyan’s remaining challenges as waived. AFFIRMED in part, DISMISSED in part.