Opinion ID: 2338639
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: motion for adult prosecution

Text: Perez first claims that because the district court's decision to authorize adult prosecution substantially increased the penalty for the offenses, he was entitled to have a jury make this determination under the principles recited in Apprendi v. New Jersey, 530 U.S. 466, 120 S.Ct. 2348, 147 L.Ed.2d 435 (2000). This argument raises a question of law, and our standard of review is unlimited. See State v. Jones, 273 Kan. 756, 770, 47 P.3d 783, cert. denied 537 U.S. 980, 123 S.Ct. 444, 154 L.Ed.2d 341 (2002). We note that the same argument Perez is making already has been rejected by this court in four prior cases: State v. Tyler, 286 Kan. 1087, 1095-96, 191 P.3d 306 (2008); State v. Mays, 277 Kan. 359, 367-68, 85 P.3d 1208 (2004); State v. Kunellis, 276 Kan. 461, 465, 78 P.3d 776 (2003); and Jones, 273 Kan. at 770-78, 47 P.3d 783. Moreover, Perez acknowledges that he presents this argument for the first time on appeal. In district court, Perez raised no objection to the court deciding the motion for adult prosecution without using a jury to determine the facts. In a single sentence in his brief, Perez asserts that an issue can be raised for the first time on appeal in exceptional circumstances where the asserted error involves a strictly legal question that will be determinative of the case or where consideration of the new issue is necessary to serve the interests of justice or to prevent a denial of fundamental rights. Generally, constitutional grounds for reversal asserted for the first time on appeal are not properly before the appellate court for review. State v. Leshay, 289 Kan. 546, 553, 213 P.3d 1071 (2009). However, an appellate court may consider a constitutional issue raised for the first time on appeal if the issue falls within one of three recognized exceptions: (1) the newly asserted claim involves only a question of law arising on proved or admitted facts and is finally determinative of the case; (2) consideration of the claim is necessary to serve the ends of justice or to prevent the denial of fundamental rights; or (3) the judgment of the district court may be upheld on appeal despite its reliance on the wrong ground or reason for its decision. State v. Dukes, 290 Kan. 485, 488, 231 P.3d 558 (2010). Supreme Court Rule 6.02(e) (2010 Kan. Ct. R. Annot. 39) provides that if an issue was not raised in district court, the appellant must explain why the issue should be considered for the first time on appeal. Perez presents no explanation for why the issue should be considered for the first time on appeal other than a general statement that this circumstance fits within the exceptions recognized by case law. We note that in Kunellis, this court refused to address the defendant's argument that the State's motion for adult prosecution should have been decided by a jury because the issue was being raised for the first time on appeal and already had been resolved in a prior case against the defendant's position. 276 Kan. at 465, 78 P.3d 776. For the same reasons we stated in Kunellis, we decline Perez' request to consider this constitutional issue for the first time on appeal.