Opinion ID: 2595078
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Interpretation of K.S.A. 2002 Supp. 21-4603d(g)

Text: The interpretation in Oster is a reasonable application of the first sentence of K.S.A. 2002 Supp. 21-4603d(g), which provides: [P]rior to revocation of a nonprison sanction of a defendant whose offense is classified in the presumptive nonprison grid block of either sentencing guideline grid or [a border box], the court shall consider placement of the defendant in the Labette correctional conservation camp, conservation camps established by the secretary of corrections pursuant to K.S.A. 75-52,127, and amendment thereto or a community intermediate sanction center. (Emphasis added.) This provision imposes an obligation upon the court to consider nonprison alternatives. Of particular importance to our inquiry is the use of the word or, which ordinarily means that conditions stand on equal footing and compliance with any condition satisfies the requirement. See Kiernan v. United States Railroad Retirement Board, 698 F.2d 1067, 1072 (10th Cir. 1983). Thus, the use of the disjunctive or means that the trial court must consider, generally, placement in a nonprison alternative setting and, specifically, any one, but not all, of the options. We disagree with the Court of Appeals' interpretation that the second sentence of the provision requires that the or be read as an and. The second sentence states: Pursuant to this paragraph the defendant shall not be sentenced to imprisonment if space is available in a conservation camp or a community intermediate sanction center and the defendant meets all of the conservation camp's or a community intermediate sanction center's placement criteria unless the court states on the record the reasons for not placing the defendant in a conservation camp or a community intermediate sanction center. The second sentence expresses a legislative intent that a defendant not be sent to prison if any of the listed nonprison options is available. Further, it requires specific findings if a defendant is not sentenced to Labette, another conservation camp, or a CISC when there is space available and the defendant meets the placement criteria. However, it does not mean that a sentence is erroneous because the sentencing court failed to make specific findings regarding Labette, other conservation camps, and CISCs, as long as one option has been considered and specific findings have been made regarding all options where information has been presented that placement is available. Reading the two sentences of K.S.A. 2002 Supp. 21-4603d(g) together, we hold that the sentencing court is required to consider a nonprison alternative, either Labette, another conservation camp, or a CISC. If evidence is presented that space is available and the defendant meets the placement criteria of one or more alternatives, the court must consider each option. If a nonprison sanction is not imposed and information is provided that such placement is available, the trial court must state on the record the reasons for not placing the defendant in any alternative for which information has been provided. In reaching this holding we are mindful of its practical implications. The existence of Labette and its general placement criteria are matters about which the courts have general knowledge. In contrast, as discussed in the Court of Appeals decisions in this case and Oster, considerable judicial resources have been expended in efforts to try to prove the existence of a CISC. Relying upon K.S.A. 60-409(b)(4), which allows courts to take judicial notice without request by a party of specific facts . . . which are capable of immediate and accurate determination by resort to easily accessible sources of indisputable accuracy, we take judicial notice of the fact that the Department of Corrections has not established CISCs. On May 22, 2003, Roger Werholtz, Secretary of Corrections, issued a Notice Concerning Community Intermediate Sanction Centers explaining that funding was provided for the program, but no proposals were approved and funding has since lapsed. The notice stated: A community intermediate sanction center was never opened pursuant to [K.S.A. 2000 Supp. 21-4603d] and there are no community intermediate sanction centers within the meaning of K.S.A. 2000 Supp. 21-4603d (nor any of its preceding versions) operating at this time in the State of Kansas. Therefore, there is neither space available nor placement criteria for community intermediate sanction centers for purposes of potential sentencing dispositions pursuant to K.S.A. 2000 Supp. 21-4603d. 22 Kan. Reg. 835 (2003). Hence, the practical result of our holding is that prior to the revocation of a nonprison sanction of a defendant whose offense is classified in a presumptive nonprison grid block or a border box, the sentencing court shall consider placement at Labette. If, in the future, a CISC or other conservation camp is established, information must be presented to the court regarding the placement option. In this case, the court considered Labette and ordered a placement in that program. After Wiegand failed to complete that program, the court imposed a prison sanction. Since there was no information regarding defendant's eligibility for placement at a CISC, the trial court did not err in failing to make the findings required by K.S.A. 2002 Supp. 21-4603d(g). We reverse the Court of Appeals on the issue of consideration of placement at a CISC and affirm the trial court. In addition, we disapprove language in State v. Miller, 30 Kan. App. 2d 161, 41 P.3d 868 (2002), which is contrary to the holding of this case. ABBOTT and GERNON, JJ., not participating. LARSON, S.J., and ALLEN, S.J., assigned.