Opinion ID: 1219383
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: status of the record

Text: In the initial order scheduling an evidentiary hearing on the petition for post-conviction relief, the district judge stated that he had listened to the recordings of the hearings in question, and that as a result thereof, he was unable to conclude whether the probation revocation hearing conformed with the requirements of due process as alleged by petitioner. However, the record before this Court contains only the transcripts of sentencing hearings dated June 23, 1982 (original withheld judgment), March 16, 1983 (sentence imposing suspended twenty year term), and September 18, 1985 (sentence imposing twenty-year term). [3] The record contains numerous affidavits from appellant's family, acquaintances, the Nez Perce prosecuting attorney and the decision of Magistrate Judge Perry in the child custody proceeding. No minute entry or transcript of the March 9, 1983 probation violation evidentiary hearing to which the district court referred in the initial order scheduling a hearing on the post-conviction petition is contained in the record before this Court. We have reviewed the entire record and conclude that appellant's application for post-conviction relief was improperly dismissed in a summary disposition manner because genuine issues of material fact existed and the district court did not give Peltier notice of its intent to summarily dismiss the petition. Idaho Code ง 19-4906(c); Cherniwchan v. State, 99 Idaho 128, 578 P.2d 244 (1978). A. Probation Violation Evidentiary Hearing Peltier alleges several errors occurring before and during the probation violation hearing. First, Peltier asserts that he did not at any time plead guilty to a violation of the terms of his probation at or before the probation violation hearing on March 9, 1983. Secondly, Peltier claims that his due process rights were violated because his attorney did not have authority to stipulate to the admission of certain evidence, and as a result he was not able to confront his accusers and was denied adequate notice of the alleged probation violations. The district court in its memorandum decision dismissing the post-conviction petition states that appellant admitted violating his probation. However, a careful and thorough review of the record before us does not support this finding. The district court's memorandum states that several witnesses were called at the probation violation hearing on March 9, 1983, in defense of Peltier. Again, our review of the record does not support this finding. Several affidavits allege that Peltier was not given a fair probation violation hearing on the ground that the district judge would not allow Peltier to speak on his own behalf or present further evidence. [4] The record before us is unclear whether Peltier was given an adequate opportunity to contest adverse evidence in the March 9, 1983 probation revocation hearing. In State v. Edelblute, 91 Idaho 469, 424 P.2d 739 (1967), this Court stated: It is imperative that the hearing process afford the defendants full opportunity to present evidence in their behalf. Otherwise, the trial judge might not be sufficiently informed to fulfill the obligation that he must exercise this judicial discretion [to grant or refuse a probation application] in a lawful and legal manner and grant or deny the same . . . in the exercise of a sound, legal discretion. Further, the requirement that the court conduct a probation application proceeding according to the established principles of law, [citation omitted] and, concomitantly, that an applicant for probation be granted full opportunity to present evidence in his behalf, inherently demands that the applicant be specifically advised of all pertinent information received by the trial court so that the applicant has a opportunity to explain and defend adverse matters otherwise the opportunity to present evidence would be meaningless. Id. 91 Idaho at 477, 424 P.2d at 746-47 (citations omitted). In the post-conviction relief action Peltier presents the affidavit of his son, Brandon, stating that Peltier never abused him in the manner in which the State alleged. Furthermore, the affidavits of several individuals argue that Brandon was very impressionable at the time of the custody proceedings and that the child told the investigators only what they wanted to hear concerning the allegations of sexual abuse. Under these circumstances, and in light of the March 9, 1983 transcript not being contained in the record, we must construe all factual inferences in a summary disposition of a post-conviction relief action in favor of the petitioner. The state of the record before this Court strongly suggests that Peltier was not afforded a full opportunity to present evidence in his behalf at the March 9, 1983 probation violation hearing. B. Notice of Hearing Peltier claims that his due process constitutional rights were violated because he was not given sufficient notice of the allegations in the probation violation hearing. The record is unclear as to the type of notice that was actually given to Peltier for the March 9, 1983 probation violation hearing. We note that an individual only needs to be given sufficient notice to reasonably inform him concerning the nature of the charges. The district court noted in its memorandum decision that Peltier received a summons concerning the probation violation hearing and that because of the nature of the Child Protective Act hearings previously conducted he was reasonably on notice concerning the basis of the probation violation charges. Our review of the record supports the trial court's finding that appellant had adequate notice concerning the nature and substance of the probation violation allegations. C. Notice of Intent to Summarily Dismiss Petition Our review of the record, however, does not reveal that notice was provided to Peltier by the district court of its intention to summarily dismiss the petition for post-conviction relief. In the absence of notice being given to Peltier of the court's intention to summarily dismiss the petition, he had no opportunity to respond. Under these circumstances we reverse the order summarily dismissing Peltier's petition for post-conviction relief. Cherniwchan v. State, 99 Idaho 128, 578 P.2d 244 (1978); I.C. ง 19-4906(c). In the absence of a full record before us to support the district court's summary disposition, and in light of the district court's failure to give notice of summary dismissal of the post-conviction relief action, we remand the case for further proceedings, including an evidentiary hearing on the petition for post-conviction relief.