Opinion ID: 2622639
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Restitution in Excess of the Civil Jurisdiction of the Court

Text: [¶ 13] Mr. Worcester's second contention is that the justice of the peace court exceeded its subject matter jurisdiction in a criminal matter when it ordered an amount in restitution in excess of its civil jurisdiction. This issue concerns a matter of statutory interpretation. This court interprets statutes by giving effect to the legislature's intent. State ex rel. Wyoming Workers' Safety and Compensation Division v. Garl, 2001 WY 59, ¶ 20, 26 P.3d 1029, ¶ 20 (Wyo.2001). We begin by making an inquiry relating to the ordinary and obvious meaning of the words employed according to their arrangement and connection. Id. We give effect to every word, clause, and sentence and construe together all components of a statute in pari materia. Id. Statutory interpretation is a question of law. LePage v. State, Department of Health, 2001 WY 26, ¶ 6, 18 P.3d 1177, ¶ 6 (Wyo.2001). We review questions of law de novo without affording deference to the district court's decision. Amoco Production Company v. EM Nominee Partnership Company, 2 P.3d 534, 540 (Wyo.2000). [¶ 14] The criminal jurisdiction of justice of the peace courts is set forth in Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 5-4-116 (LexisNexis 2001) which provides: Justice of the peace courts have jurisdiction in all criminal cases amounting to misdemeanors for which the punishment prescribed by law does not exceed imprisonment for more than six (6) months and a fine of not more than seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00). Jurisdiction shall also include those criminal cases in which the defendant is placed on probation for a period exceeding the maximum six (6) months imprisonment sentence under W.S. 31-5-233(d) [§ 31-5-233(e)]. Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 7-9-102 (LexisNexis 2001) outlines the court's ability to order restitution and provides in pertinent part: In addition to any other punishment prescribed by law the court shall, upon conviction for any misdemeanor or felony, order a defendant to pay restitution to each victim as determined under W.S. 7-9-103 and 7-9-114. Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 5-4-106(a)(x) (LexisNexis 2001) establishes the civil jurisdictional limits for justices of the peace as: Of all civil actions where the amount in controversy, exclusive of costs, does not exceed three thousand dollars ($3,000.00). [¶ 15] The court ordered restitution in the total amount of $16,312.04. Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 7-9-101(a)(iv) (LexisNexis 2001) defines restitution as full or partial payment of pecuniary damage to a victim. Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 7-9-101(a)(v) (LexisNexis 2001) defines victim as a person who has suffered pecuniary damage as a result of a defendant's criminal activities. Mr. Worcester relies upon Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 7-9-101(a)(iii) (LexisNexis 2001) which defines pecuniary damage as all damages which a victim could recover against the defendant in a civil action arising out of the same facts or event, including damages for wrongful death. He asserts this statutory provision in conjunction with Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 7-9-103(b) (LEXIS 1999) (amended 2000) prohibits the justice of the peace court from ordering restitution in excess of $3,000the civil action jurisdictional limit for justice of the peace courts. Section 7-9-103(b) stated: To satisfy the order, the clerk, upon request of the victim or the district attorney, may issue execution against the defendant for any assets including wages subject to attachment in the same manner as in a civil action. Mr. Worcester contends the words civil action are critical to resolving this issue. However, the statutory language does not state in a civil action in the same court as the conviction occurred. This court has no power to add to, or to substitute, words in a statute. Longfellow v. State, 803 P.2d 1383, 1388 (Wyo.1991). That authority is vested in the legislature, and we will not encroach upon its proper authority. Id. We do not read these statutes to require the justice of the peace court to limit restitution to $3,000. [¶ 16] Furthermore, Mr. Worcester's argument ignores the difference between the statutes establishing the jurisdiction of the justice of the peace courts and the statutes granting authority to such courts to award restitution. The authority to require restitution in criminal cases is delineated in Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 5-4-106 (LexisNexis 2001) and is not constrained by the civil jurisdictional limits of § 7-9-102. Mr. Worcester argues the legislature intended that disputes involving large sums of money should be heard and determined in the district court. However, there is no indication the legislature intended to limit a victim's restitution or a court's authority to award such restitution in criminal cases subject to its jurisdiction based upon the civil jurisdictional limits of the court in which the conviction occurred. Under Mr. Worcester's theory, justice of the peace courts would have to determine whether the restitution in a criminal case could potentially exceed the court's civil jurisdictional limits before hearing a case. If a case could potentially yield a restitution amount in excess of the justice of the peace court's jurisdiction, Mr. Worcester's argument would require the district court to hear the misdemeanor case. We do not believe this was the legislature's intent. [¶ 17] Section 5-4-116 limits the justice of the peace court's jurisdiction to all criminal cases for which the punishment prescribed by law does not exceed imprisonment for more than six (6) months and a fine of not more than seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00). (Emphasis added). Mr. Worcester equates the term restitution with punishment, therefore implying the court's jurisdiction is limited to cases where restitution would not exceed more than $750. However, the statute specifically identifies punishment as imprisonment, fines, and probation. We find no authority for equating allowed restitution with the punishment levels within the justice of the peace court's jurisdiction. In Keller v. State, 723 P.2d 1244, 1246 (Wyo. 1986), we held defendants should be informed of the possibility that restitution may be required under W.R.Cr.P 15(c) as part of the penalty of a crime to which they may plead guilty. However, in that case, we were concerned that proper notice be given to a defendant of the impact of a guilty plea before a plea is accepted. We were not concerned with determining the extent of the criminal jurisdiction of justice of the peace courts intended by the legislature. Based upon legislative intent and statutory construction, we conclude the justice of the peace court did not exceed its jurisdiction when it ordered $16,312.04 in restitution.