Opinion ID: 852155
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Modification of Conviction

Text: The sole issue is whether the trial court erred in granting Boyle's petition for modification of his conviction for operation of a motor vehicle while a habitual traffic violator as a Class D felony to a Class A misdemeanor. We agree with the State and the Court of Appeals that the trial court improperly granted Boyle's request. For the reasons explained in State v. Brunner, 947 N.E.2d 411 (Ind.2011), also decided today, we hold that the trial court erred in modifying Boyle's conviction from a Class D felony to a Class A misdemeanor. As we held in Brunner, the applicable statute at the time of the conviction was Indiana Code section 35-50-2-7 (1998). Indiana Code section 35-50-2-7(b) states, if a person has committed a Class D felony, the court may enter judgment of conviction of a Class A misdemeanor and sentence accordingly. In interpreting statutes, we take words and phrases in their plain and usual meaning. Ind.Code § 1-1-4-1(1) (2005). As such, we hold that the intent of the legislature in granting authority to the trial courts to reduce a Class D felony to a Class A misdemeanor was limited to the moment the trial court first entered its judgment of conviction and before the trial court announced its sentence. As we held in Brunner, the language of the statute itself described the specific timeframe codified for this action of entering conviction was after the finding of a Class D felony but before the pronouncement of a sentence, the court may enter judgment of conviction ... and sentence accordingly. Ind.Code § 35-50-2-7(b) (emphasis added). The judgment of conviction is entered first, and then the sentence is handed down. As we noted in Brunner, pursuant to Indiana Code section 35-38-1-1.5, enacted under P.L. 98-2003, the trial court could enter a conviction as a misdemeanor, but it must be entered within three years of the entry of judgment, all parties must agree to the conditions, and the defendant must meet those agreed upon conditions. We note, as the Court of Appeals correctly found that neither a copy of Boyle's sentencing order is in the record, nor does the CCS entry mention the possibility of modifying his sentence from a Class D felony to a Class A misdemeanor. Furthermore, as stated in the facts, the State did not consent to a misdemeanor sentence. And finally, even if Boyle would have been availed of Indiana Code section 35-38-1-1.5, the trial court would have to modify the conviction within three years. As we held in State v. Fulkrod, 753 N.E.2d 630, 633 (Ind.2001), the fact that the sentencing judge particularly reserved ... the right to modify this sentence, [pursuant to Indiana Code section 35-38-1-17] is of no moment, because the sentencing court was seeking to use power it was not granted. A sentencing judge cannot circumvent the plain provisions in the sentence modification statute simply by declaring that he or she reserves the right to change the sentence at any future time. Id.