Opinion ID: 2576319
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 11

Heading: Apprendi Argument

Text: We must, however, consider one additional issue raised by Limon. He contends that increasing his sentence based on his prior juvenile adjudications violates the principles of Apprendi v. New Jersey, 530 U.S. 466, 147 L. Ed. 2d 435, 120 S. Ct. 2348 (2000), and State v. Gould, 271 Kan. 394, 23 P.3d 801 (2001). Limon recognizes that this argument was rejected in State v. Hitt, 273 Kan. 224, 235-36, 42 P.3d 732 (2002), cert. denied 537 U.S. 1104 (2003), but raises the issue to preserve it for future review in the federal courts and to give this court a chance to reconsider Hitt. Hitt held that juvenile adjudications enjoy ample procedural safeguards and are encompassed in the Apprendi exception for prior crimes. 273 Kan. at 236. This court has declined to overrule Hitt as recently as June 2004. See State v. Carter, 278 Kan. 74, 91 P.3d 1162 (2004). More importantly, Limon did not raise this issue before the Court of Appeals; thus the issue is not properly before this court. See State v. Layton, 276 Kan. 777, 784, 80 P.3d 65 (2003) (where issue raised in petition for review was neither presented to nor decided by Court of Appeals, issue was not properly before this court). Reversed and remanded with directions. DAVIS, J., and GERNON, J., not participating. LARSON, S.J., assigned.