Opinion ID: 2629584
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: consideration of defendant's financial circumstances in setting minimum fine

Text: Raschke argues that the word shall, as used in K.S.A. 21-3710(b), should be read as directory rather than mandatory. He also urges us to consider and apply the language of K.S.A. 21-4607(3). Finally, he invokes the rule of lenity, which requires us to interpret ambiguous or unclear statutory provisions to benefit a criminal defendant rather than the State. See State v. Paul, 285 Kan. 658, 662, 175 P.3d 840 (2008). The prosecution, for its part, distinguishes the statutory language at issue in Johnson from that in the forgery statute and argues that K.S.A. 21-4607(3) comes into play only when fines are discretionary or when they exceed a minimum prescribed by statute, neither being the situation in Raschke's case. Because the outcome of this case will rest on statutory interpretation or construction, our review is unlimited. See Higgins v. Abilene Machine, Inc., 288 Kan. 359, 361, 204 P.3d 1156 (2009). When called upon to interpret a statute, we first heed a statute's express language, giving ordinary words their ordinary meaning. See State v. Stallings, 284 Kan. 741, 742, 163 P.3d 1232 (2007); State v. Robinson, 281 Kan. 538, 539-40, 132 P.3d 934 (2006). If . . . a plain reading of the text of a statute yields an ambiguity or a lack of clarity, statutory construction becomes appropriate. In such circumstances, a court must move outside the text of the provision at issue and examine other evidence of legislative intent, such as legislative history, or employ additional canons of statutory construction to [determine] the legislature's meaning. Board of Leavenworth County Comm'rs v. Whitson, 281 Kan. 678, 685, 132 P.3d 920 (2006). Should a statute's meaning not be evident from its plain language, we move from interpretation to construction, employing study of legislative history, application of canons of statutory construction, and appraisal of other background constructions. See Double M. Constr. v. Kansas Corporation Comm'n, 288 Kan. 268, 271-72, 202 P.3d 7 (2009). Further when examining statutes to determine legislative intent, we must consider various provisions of an act in pari materia with a view toward reconciling and bringing them into harmony if possible. See State v. Breedlove, 285 Kan. 1006, 1015, 179 P.3d 1115 (2008). In addition, we have often noted that a specific statute controls over a general statute. In re K.M.H., 285 Kan. 53, 82, 169 P.3d 1025 (2007).