Opinion ID: 1278912
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: A Good Sentence is One Which Can Be Reasonably Explained

Text: It is with great admiration that I see Justice Huntley today reconsidering that which he authored in Osborn II, and now embracing the view that a statement of reasons for imposition of sentence is a necessary predicate for meaningful appellate review. He necessarily is also retreating from his concurrence with the majority opinion in State v. Brewster, 106 Idaho 145, 676 P.2d 720 (1984), insofar as is concerned that plurality statement from Osborn II, 104 Idaho at 810, 663 P.2d at 1112, that while the setting forth of reasons for the imposition of a particular sentence would be helpful, and is encouraged, it is not mandatory. Anent Justice Huntley's opinion of today, it will be gratifying to the trial bench and bar to now know that there now are at least two members of this Court who acknowledge merit in the ABA standards. In State v. Adams, 99 Idaho 75, 577 P.2d 1123 (1978), Bistline, J., urged upon the Court the guidelines of the 1968 ABA Standards, and also Frankel, Criminal Sentences: Law Without Order (1973), and Dawson, Sentencing, 1969. The troublesome thing about the majority opinion issued today is not only that it fails to serve any laudable purpose, but is destructive of the Court of Appeals' efforts to perform its sentence review function. No one of reason will expect any less from that court by reason of the gratuitous slap it receives today at the hand of this Court. Regrettably, however, in its goal of exhorting district judges to adhere to ABA standards, it may in a few instances be frustrated, although at the present time I cannot presently bring to mind a single district judge who will not both have, and express, reasons for a sentence meted out. If that is so, all the majority accomplish this day is the self-satisfaction one court gains from telling another court that it doesn't make any rules or set any standards. That which I wrote in Osborn II is again applicable: The Court of Appeals in fulfilling its function has determined that it would be helpful to have before it the facts and reasons which motivated the district court to reach a sentencing determination. In deference to that court's views as to how it will conduct its appellate review, with which I agree, I am not persuaded to interfere. Moreover, in the area of civil appeals this Court has made it clear that while one of the reasons for requiring court-made findings of fact and conclusions of law is to aid appellate review, another equally valid reason is so that the district judge can evaluate the soundness and reasonability of his own decision as he makes it. In Compton v. Gilmore, 98 Idaho 190, 560 P.2d 861 (1977), we quoted with approval the words of Judge Maris, speaking for the Third Circuit Court of Appeals, whose language was: `The purpose of that rule is to require the trial judge to formulate and articulate his findings of fact and conclusions of law in the course of his consideration and determination of the case and as a part of his decision making process, so that he himself may be satisfied that he has dealt fully and properly with all the issues in the case before he decides it and so that the parties involved and this court on appeal may be fully informed as to the bases of his decision when it is made.' 98 Idaho at 194, 560 P.2d at 865. 104 Idaho at 811, 663 P.2d at 1113. Now, just how this Court can adhere to that doctrine in civil cases, and declare it inapplicable in criminal cases, completely escapes me.