Opinion ID: 1277157
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Release of Claims

Text: The first question we will consider is the effect on the criminal court of the parties' release of claims which was executed at the settlement of the civil case. Although judges of the district court are mandated to order restitution as a condition of probation, whether a release of claims in a civil settlement precludes a restitution order in a criminal action is a question of law. An appellate court's review of questions of law is unlimited. Gillespie v. Seymour, 250 Kan. 123, 129, 823 P.2d 782 (1991). The release signed by the victims in the civil action provided: For the Sole Consideration of One Hundred Thousand Dollars ($100,000.00),... the undersigned hereby release and forever discharge [Insurance Companies], Jason Applegate, and Tyler Callicrate, deceased, their heirs, executors, administrators, agents and assigns, none of whom admit any liability to the undersigned but all expressly deny any liability, from any and all claims, demands, damages, actions, causes of action or suits of any kind or nature whatsoever, and particularly on account of all injuries, known and unknown, both to person and property, which have resulted or may in the future develop from an accident which occurred on or about the 25th day of May 1996, in Cheyenne County, Kansas. The Kansas statutes mandate that in addition to any other conditions of probation, suspension of sentence, or assignment to a community correctional services program, the court is required to order the defendant to make reparation or restitution to the aggrieved party for the damage or loss caused by the defendant's crime unless the court finds compelling circumstances which would render a plan of restitution unworkable. K.S.A. 21-4610(d)(1). A judgment of restitution does not bar any subsequent civil remedy or recovery, but the amount of any restitution paid is to be set off against any subsequent civil recovery. See K.S.A. 1995 Supp. 60-4304. Here, the release was a contract between the victims, the defendant, and the defendant's insurance companies, settling the defendant's civil liability. The State was not a party to the agreement. A civil release of claims does not and cannot specifically preclude court-ordered restitution in a criminal case.