Opinion ID: 1862521
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: plain error in sentencing order

Text: The above determination, however, does not end our review of the instant case. Hansen has been placed in a procedural Catch-22 by the nature of the sentencing (probation) order. The language of § 60-6,196(8) mandates that a first-time DUI offender shall, prior to sentencing (i.e., during a presentence evaluation), submit to and participate in an alcohol assessment. Then, at the time of sentencing, the judge, having reviewed the assessment results, may order the convicted person to follow through on the alcohol assessment results. In the instant case, however, the county court judge did not order the alcohol assessment during the presentence stage of the proceedings and, instead, ordered the alcohol assessment and any potential follow-up on the assessment recommendations as part of the sentencing (probation) order. Therein lies the problem. First, this type of procedure is contrary to the plain language of § 60-6,196(8) and effectively denies a convicted offender his or her right to challenge the assessment results or the recommendations of the alcohol evaluator by way of appealing the final sentencing order. Second, the purpose of § 60-6,196(8) is to provide (1) an alcohol assessment to individuals who have not previously been assessed for alcohol abuse and (2) a tool for courts to review alcohol assessment results prior to sentencing in order to aid in an effective sentencing decision. Plain error will be noted only where an error is evident from the record, prejudicially affects a substantial right of a litigant, and is of such a nature that to leave it uncorrected would cause a miscarriage of justice or result in damage to the integrity, reputation, and fairness of the judicial process. State v. Sims, 258 Neb. 357, 603 N.W.2d 431 (1999); State v. Dreimanis, 258 Neb. 239, 603 N.W.2d 17 (1999). We determine that in those cases where the county court orders an alcohol assessment pursuant to § 60-6,196(8), the court shall follow the mandated statutory procedure and order the convicted offender to participate in the alcohol assessment prior to sentencing. Thus, the county court's order directing Hansen to submit to and participate in an alcohol assessment after the date of sentencing rather than prior to sentencing constitutes plain error. The failure to order the alcohol assessment prior to the time of sentencing affects substantial rights of the litigant, both at sentencing and on appeal, and would result in damage to the reputation and fairness of the judicial process if left uncorrected. Therefore, we reverse the order of the district court and remand the cause with directions to vacate the sentencing order of the county court and remand the cause to the county court for further sentencing proceedings consistent with this opinion.