Court Opinion

ID: 9396954
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-05-23 23:07:13.851278+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:19:20.517892
License: Public Domain

ORIGINAL                                        05/23/2023

            IN THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF MONTANA                                Case Number: OP 23-0260

                                        OP 23-0260
                                                                        FiLhD
 MATTHEW THIBERT,                                                       MAY 2 3 2023
                                                                      Bowen Greenwood
                                                                    Clerk of Supreme Court
                                                                       State of Montana
             Petitioner,

       v.
                                                                     ORDER
 PETER BLUDWORTH, Warden,
 Crossroads Correctional Center,

             Respondent.

       Self-represented Petitioner Matthew Thibert "bring[s] forth this writ of Habeas
Corpus for violation of rights guaranteed to all U.S. Citizens by the U.S. Constitution."
Thibert includes copies of motions filed in the Cascade County District Court and states
that "all of the submitted motions must be granted."
       In his Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus, Thibert challenges the commencement of
prosecution, stating that that he was entitled to be prosecuted by a grand jury indictment
and that "the use of Information is restricted to rnisdemeanors." He argues that his
constitutional rights have been violated, because "[u]nder the grand jury clause of the fifth
amendment, a defendant has a right to be tried only on the grand jury's indictment." U.S.
v. Olson, 925 F.2d 1170, 1175 (9th Cir. 1991) (citation omitted). Thibert further states:
"the Legislature of the State of Montana has failed to specifically provide by statute, that
any information could be used to prosecute a felony[1" He contends that the charges
against him are void and must be dismissed. Thibert concludes that he has an unlawful and
"unconstitutional" conviction, and is unlawfully incarcerated under the resultant sentence.
       In its April 2017 Amended Information, the State of Montana charged Thibert with
felony sexual assault, pursuant to § 45-5-502(3) MCA (2013), where the victim was less
than sixteen years old. On November 17, 2017, the Cascade County District Court
sentenced Thibert to the Montana State Prison for a sixty-year term and awarded credit for
451 days of time served.      In December 2018, Thibert petitioned this Court for an
out-of-time appeal. This Court granted his petition as well as his motion for appointment
of counsel. State v. Thibert, No. DA 18-0682, Order (Mont. Dec. 11, 2018). On January
31, 2020, this Court granted Thibert's motion to voluntarily dismiss the appeal. State v.
Thibert, No. DA 18-0682, Order (Mont. Jan. 31, 2020).
      Thibert's claimš have no merit. His references to federal law concerning grand
juries do not apply to states. ‘" [T]he Fifth Amendment's grand jury requirement has not
been construed to apply to the states.'" State v. Montgomery, 2015 MT 151,119, 379 Mont.
353, 350 P.3d 77 (quoting U.S. v. Allen, 406 F.3d 940, 942 (8th Cir. 2005)).            In
Montgomery, this Court held that "Montana statutes offer four methods to commence a
prosecution in this state, one of which is indictment by a grand jury.            Sections
46-11-101(1)-(4), MCA." Montgomery, ¶ 11. "` [A] defendant is not entitled to any
specific procedure." Montgomery, ¶ 11 (citing State v. Haller, 2013 MT 199, ¶ 8, 371
Mont. 86, 306 P.3d 338) (internal citation omitted). If the State commences prosecution
by filing an application and an affidavit that identifies supporting evidence demonstrating
probable cause, the district court has subject matter jurisdiction to proceed "as stated in
Mont. Const. art. VII, § 4(1) and § 3-5-302(1)(a), MCA[.]" Montgomery, ¶ 11. The
Montana Legislature has provided a statutory scheme for felony prosecution.
       Thibert is not entitled to dismissal of the charged offense. He is precluded from
challenging the conviction here. Section 46-22-101(2), MCA.         The State of Montana
commenced Thibert's felony prosecution according to Montana's Constitution and under
its applicable statutory scheme by filing an application which includes an information for
leave of court and an affidavit supported by evidence. Section 46-11-201(2), MCA (2013).
See also Montgomery, tj 9-11; Mont. Const. art. II, § 20(1); §§ 46-11-101(3), and
46-11-102(1), MCA. Thibert cannot demonstrate a facially invalid sentence. Section
46-22-101(1), MCA. The District Court had subject matter jurisdiction, and the Judgment
is not void. He has a lawfiil sentence.
       Turning to his motions, this Court has dealt with his motions and the court's order
previously. See Thibert v. State, No. DA 21-0440, Order (Mont. Oct. 26, 2021) (Order

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dismissing his appeal sua sponte and without prejudice because his petition for
postconviction relief was pending in District Court). Thibert includes a copy of the
August 16, 2021 Order Re: Petitioner's Motions, where the District Court denied his nine
pending motions. We explained in 2022, that "Nile District Court denied all of Thibert's
motions and pointed out that default is improper under Rule 55. The Montana Rules of
Civil Procedure do not apply in criminal cases." Thibert v. Eighth Judicial Dist. Ct., No.
OP 22-0652, Order denying writ of supervisory control (Mont. Dec. 6, 2022). Thibert is
not entitled to further relief.
       Thibert is not illegally incarcerated or unconstitutionally restrained. Therefore,
       IT IS ORDERED that Thibert's Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus is DENIED and
DISMISSED.
       IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that Thibert's requested relief regarding his motions
is DISMISSED, as moot.
       The Clerk is directed to provide a copy of this Order to counsel of record and to
Matthew Thibert person0.
       DATED thist3           day of May, 2023.

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