Opinion ID: 1179567
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: the hearing held by the district court before it relinquished jurisdiction was an adequate remedy to cure any procedural due process defects in the nici jurisdictional review process.

Text: Buffington has alleged several procedural due process violations, and has also argued that Browning created new rules which should operate to toll the statute of limitations for filing an application for post-conviction relief. The State points out that the district court held a hearing before it relinquished jurisdiction over Buffington, and argues that any due process deprivations which occurred at NICI were thus cured. Buffington conceded in his reply brief on review that the only procedural due process requirements addressed by the federal district court that would qualify as new rules were the right to staff assistance in contacting witnesses, the right to contact legal counsel by telephone, and the right to an impartial hearing examiner. We note, however, that the right to staff assistance in contacting witnesses was enunciated by the Court of Appeals prior to the Browning decision. See Bradford v. State, 124 Idaho 788, 791, 864 P.2d 626, 629 (Ct.App.1993) (noting that there could be procedural due process violations inherent in the practice of placing the inmate in administrative segregation pending the rebuttal hearing, but holding that such infirmities could be cured by the appointment of a staff representative to contact witnesses). Assuming arguendo, and without so deciding, that the right to contact legal counsel by telephone and the right to an impartial hearing examiner are new rules, we hold that Buffington nevertheless has already received any remedy to which he might be entitled. This Court has not previously considered what the proper remedy would be for procedural due process violations occurring during the NICI jurisdictional review process. The Court of Appeals, however, has held that the proper remedy is a hearing before the district court, at which the court considers the defendant's current amenability to probation. Thorgaard v. State, 125 Idaho 901, 906, 876 P.2d 599, 604 (Ct.App. 1994); Free v. State, 125 Idaho 760, 767-68, 874 P.2d 571, 577-78 (Ct.App.1993) (Rev.denied.). We agree. In Thorgaard and Free, the Court of Appeals remanded each case for a further hearing before the district court, at which the district court could consider the inmate's current institutional behavior, rehabilitation progress and potential, and fitness for probation. Free, 125 Idaho at 767-68, 874 P.2d at 578. However, a remand is not always necessary nor appropriate. Recently, the Court of Appeals affirmed a district court ruling that even if there had been procedural due process violations during the jurisdictional review process, the hearing which the district court held prior to relinquishing jurisdiction was sufficient to cure any constitutional infirmities. Tolman v. State, 128 Idaho 643, 645, 917 P.2d 800, 802 (Ct.App.1996). The Court of Appeals stated that [i]f Tolman believed that he had been precluded from presenting pertinent evidence to the jurisdictional review committee regarding relinquishment of jurisdiction, said evidence could and should have been submitted during the hearing before the district court. Because Tolman had the opportunity to present information relevant to the relinquishment of jurisdiction in the criminal action, the application for post-conviction relief was properly dismissed. Id. at 645-46, 917 P.2d at 802-03. Rather than simply relinquishing jurisdiction over Buffington based upon the NICI jurisdictional review report, the district court held a hearing. The record reflects that Buffington and his attorney were both present at that hearing, and were given the opportunity to present evidence. Buffington and another witness testified on Buffington's behalf. This hearing cured any constitutional violation which may have occurred during the NICI process because Buffington was not allowed to contact legal counsel prior to the rebuttal hearing. Further, Buffington and his attorney were given the opportunity, before the district court, to rebut the jurisdictional review committee's recommendation. This cured any constitutional violation which may have occurred if the NICI jurisdictional review committee was not impartial. Therefore, we hold that the hearing which the district court conducted before it relinquished jurisdiction cured any possible constitutional violations which may have occurred during the NICI jurisdictional review process. Buffington has already received any remedy to which he might be entitled. We therefore do not address the issue of whether Browning created new rules.