Court Opinion

ID: 9768154
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-29 05:44:37.73531+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:30:36.917376
License: Public Domain

JAMES, Justice,
dissenting.
Because the State failed to prove by a preponderance of the evidence that appellant knowingly and intentionally violated the terms of his probation, I respectfully dissent.
At a hearing on a motion to revoke a defendant’s probation, the State has a lower burden of proof than that required for a criminal conviction. The State must prove only by a preponderance of the evidence that a defendant violated a term of probation. Cobb v. State, 851 S.W.2d 871, 873 (Tex.Crim.App.1993). The trial court has discretion to continue or revoke the probation. DeGay v. State, 741 S.W.2d 445, 449 (Tex.Crim.App.1987). The trial court’s discretion in revok*902ing a defendant’s probation, however, is not absolute. Id. The court has no authority to revoke probation unless the State shows the probationer violated a condition of his probation imposed by the court. Id. Moreover, a trial court may not delegate its duty and responsibility for determining the conditions of probation to the probation officer. Jones v. State, 571 S.W.2d 191, 193 (Tex.Crim.App. [Panel Op.] 1978).
In this case, appellant entered a guilty plea to the offense of sexual assault. The trial court placed appellant on community supervision/probation for eight years and imposed seventeen conditions of probation. These conditions included having no contact with anyone under the age of eighteen, reporting to his probation officer twice monthly, paying a probation fee, paying a fine, and paying court costs. The State moved to revoke appellant’s probation for failing to report and failing to pay probation fees, a fine, and costs. After a hearing on the State’s motion, the trial court revoked appellant’s probation. The order recites that the trial court revoked appellant’s probation for the reasons set forth in the State’s motion to revoke.
In his first point of error, appellant complains the trial court erred in revoking his probation for failing to report. In my opinion, the pivotal issue we must address is whether a probationer may decline to answer a general inquiry regarding his religious activities without violating the reporting requirements of his probation. Before addressing the merits of the case, I address the majority’s contention that appellant waived this Court’s consideration of whether “reporting” means a probationer must answer every question posed by a probation officer. The majority states that appellant failed to argue this point before the probation officer, at the revocation hearing, or on appeal. On the contrary, the record shows that appellant continually raised the appropriateness of Potter’s question. Potter testified that when she first asked appellant about his religious activities he asked why she wanted to know before refusing to answer. Before the trial court, appellant argued that the questioned posed by Potter was overly broad and that religion was a personal matter. In his brief, appellant argues “[t]his condition of probation (the -reporting provision) did not contain any language directing the Appellant to answer questions concerning his religious activities or any other questions.”
We liberally construe points of error to fairly and equitably adjudicate the merits of the case. See Tex.R.App. P. 74(p). Appellant’s point of error and argument is broad enough to include an attack upon the definition of “reporting.” Appellant’s entire argument centers on “reporting” not meaning answering questions concerning religious activities. As such, whether Potter’s question infringed upon appellant’s right to religious freedom is fairly raised. Even if appellant has failed to raise this issue in his brief, this Court is not precluded from reviewing any pertinent issue raised by the record. See Carter v. State, 656 S.W.2d 468, 469 (Tex.Crim.App.1983); Rodriguez v. State, 939 S.W.2d 211, 219 (Tex.App.—Austin 1997, no pet.). Once appellant has invoked this Court’s jurisdiction, we may review any unassigned error in the interest of justice. Rodriguez, 939 S.W.2d at 219.
Having decided this Court has authority to consider whether a probationer may decline to answer questions related to his religious activities without violating his duty to report, I turn to the merits of the case. The State filed a motion to revoke alleging that appellant failed to report on July 7, 1995 and July 21, 1995 by refusing to answer questions directed to him by the probation officer. Specifically, the State contended appellant violated condition (d), which requires appellant to:
Obey all the rules and regulations of the probation department, and report to the Probation Officer as directed by the Judge or Probation Officer; to-wit: TWICE MONTHLY UNLESS OTHERWISE INSTRUCTED.
Appellant reported twice monthly to his probation officer, Sandra Potter. It is undisputed appellant never missed an appointment. Although appellant physically reported on July 7, 1995 and July 21, 1995, the majority concludes that his failure to answer Potter’s questions constituted a “failure to report.” Potter’s questions related to his religious ae-*903tivities, his disability, and his attendance at appropriate community agencies.
First, I address Potter’s questions concerning appellant’s religious activities. Appellant is an “unbaptized publisher” attempting to become a full-fledged Jehovah’s Witness. In June 1995, Potter inquired about appellant’s religious activities. Appellant told Potter he witnessed door-to-door accompanied by other members of his church. Although appellant told Potter he witnessed door-to-door, he did not tell her the specific neighborhoods. Upon learning this information, Potter became concerned that appellant would come into contact with a person under the age of eighteen.1 Potter related her concerns to the trial court who ordered appellant to cease witnessing door-to-door. Appellant testified that he complied with the court’s order. Instead of witnessing door-to-door, appellant began witnessing to adult friends and family. He also told Potter that he might begin witnessing by telephone. Potter testified that she had told appellant if he came in contact with minors over the telephone, he would be in violation of his probation. Potter admitted, however, that appellant was not prohibited by the trial court from witnessing, just from witnessing door-to-door. On July 21, 1995, Potter asked appellant “Now tell me about your religious activities.” Appellant asked, “What business is it of yours?” Finally, appellant told Potter “I choose not to answer [the question].” There is no evidence that, on the 7th or 21st of July, Potter asked appellant whether he had come into contact with minors during his religious witnessing. Nor is there evidence that appellant refused to answer any inquiry about whether he had come into contact with minors in violation of his probation. The majority’s reference to “Appellant’s refusal to answer Potter’s questions regarding whether he was having contact with children ...” has no support in the record. Potter admitted she had no basis to believe appellant had come into contact with minors while witnessing.
Although I have found no caselaw discussing whether a probationer may refuse to answer questions relating to his constitutional freedoms, there is a body of caselaw discussing whether a condition of probation im-permissibly infringes upon a probationer’s constitutional freedoms. I use this caselaw to illustrate whether a probationer may refuse to answer questions relating to his constitutional freedom without violating his duty to report.
A probationer is subject to limitations from which ordinary citizens are free. Simpson v. State, 772 S.W.2d 276, 280 (Tex.App.—Amarillo 1989, no pet.). However, a probationer still enjoys a significant degree of privacy. Id. The legitimate ends of the probation process must justify any restriction upon a probationer’s otherwise inviolable constitutional rights, including his right to enjoy religious freedom. Id. Proper probationary conditions, therefore, are those that contribute significantly to the convicted person’s rehabilitation and society’s protection. Id.
A reasonable relation between the conditions of probation and the purposes of the probation act must exist. See Macias v. State, 649 S.W.2d 150, 152 (Tex.App.—El Paso 1988, no pet.). Three factors determine the reasonable relationship: “(1) the purposes sought to be served by probation; (2) the extent to which constitutional rights enjoyed by law-abiding citizens should be accorded to probationers; and (3) the legitimate needs of law enforcement.” Id. An invalid condition of probation, on the other hand, includes a condition which “(1) has no relationship to the crime of which the offender was convicted, (2) relates to conduct which is not in itself criminal, and (3) requires or forbids conduct which is not reasonably related to the future criminality of the offender or *904does not serve the statutory ends of probation.” Simpson, 772 S.W.2d at 280-81.
I conclude that we should apply these same guidelines to determine whether a question asked by a probation officer must be answered by the probationer. Accordingly, an inquiry “Now tell me about your religious activities” is not reasonably related to appellant’s crime or conditions of his probation. Therefore, appellant’s refusal to answer that question was within his constitutional right to reasonable privacy in his spiritual affairs. See Macias, 649 S.W.2d at 152.
In Macias v. State, the El Paso Court of Appeals recognized a probationer has the right to enjoy a significant degree of privacy and concluded any restriction upon their otherwise inviolable constitutional rights can be justified only to the extent actually necessitated by the legitimate demands of the probation process. Macias, 649 S.W.2d at 152 (citing United States v. Consuelo-Gonzalez, 521 F.2d 259 (9th Cir.1975); Basaldua v. State, 558 S.W.2d 2, 7 (Tex.Crim.App.1977); Tamez v. State, 534 S.W.2d 686, 692 (Tex.Crim.App.1976)). Although the majority concedes Potter’s question was “probably poorly phrased,” the majority concludes the question was directly related to the crime of sexual assault. The majority does not say how appellant’s private spiritual activities such as attending evening prayer services accompanied by his mother, witnessing about his religious faith with adults, or witnessing about his religious faith by telephone related to the crime of sexual assault. Instead, the majority indicates that “[rjestricting a sex offender’s right to roam residential neighborhoods and telephone strangers contributes significantly both to the rehabilitation of the convicted person and to the protection of society.” The record is devoid of any evidence to support the majority’s speculation.
Further, the majority misconstrues the record in applying the factors set out above. The majority concludes Potter’s questions were directly related to appellant’s crime and criminal conduct, were designed to prohibit conduct reasonably related to future episodes of sexual assault, and served the statutory ends of probation that appellant successfully complete his probation without committing further acts of sexual assault. As stated previously, I fail to see how appellant’s religious activities relate in any way to his criminal conduct or future rehabilitation. There is nothing in the record to indicate appellant’s original crime related to his religious activities, that appellant used witnessing merely as a tool to meet other victims, or that appellant ever met a person under the age of eighteen while witnessing. Moreover, there is nothing in the record to show that Potter’s questions concerning appellant’s religious activities related to his future rehabilitation. The majority could have just as easily inferred that appellant’s commitment to his religion and practicing the tenets of his faith would have helped him in his rehabilitation efforts.
Therefore, the issue in this case is whether the specific unanswered question, “Now what about your religious activities,” constitutes a failure to report. Although we accord much deference to the trial court’s decision to revoke probation, such deference fails when the evidence is uncontroverted that appellant did not intentionally or knowingly violate the conditions of his probation. Under both Smith and Simpson, engaging in religious activities generally was not a prohibited condition of appellant’s probation. See Smith v. State, 932 S.W.2d 279, 282-83 (Tex.App.— Texarkana 1996, no pet.); Simpson, 772 S.W.2d at 280-81. Likewise, appellant’s failure to surrender his privacy rights concerning religious matters, in the absence of a specific question regarding his having contact with minors, would not constitute failure to report to his probation officer.
While I agree with the majority that the trial court has discretion to either continue or revoke probation, the trial court is not accorded absolute discretion. Smith, 932 S.W.2d at 281. An order revoking probation must be based on evidence showing a violation of a condition of probation imposed by the court. Id. The trial court, as well as the majority, interpreted “report” to include not only appellant’s physical presence, but his verbal answers to the questions asked by the probation officer. I agree that a probation officer must be able to question a probationer *905concerning Ms activities that are related to Ms offense or conditions of Ms probation. See Harrison v. State, 929 S.W.2d 80, 83 (Tex.App.—Eastland 1996, pet. ref'd). However, I do not agree that a probation officer has unbridled authority to question a probationer on every subject that might pique the officer’s curiosity, particularly matters afforded special constitutional protections, such as the probationer’s religious beliefs and activities. A probationer has a dimmished expectation of privacy by virtue of the legitimate demands of the probation system, but his privacy rights may be restricted oMy to the extent necessary for his reformation and rehabilitation. See Tamez, 534 S.W.2d at 692. I would conclude a probationer’s limited right to privacy extends to matters not directly related to the conditions of his probation or the legitimate ends of the appellant’s probation. Clearly, Potter could have asked appellant if he had contacted any minors or had witnessed door-to-door since appellant’s last report, and appellant’s failing to answer would have violated the reporting condition of Ms probation. Potter chose not to ask this crucial and pertinent question. I cannot conclude that the State proved by a preponderance of the evidence that appellant violated a court imposed condition of Ms probation by refusmg to answer Potter’s general question regarding his religious activities.
I next address appellant’s failure to answer questions concerning his disability and whether he attended commumty agencies designated to assist him with his disability and obtaiMng employment.2 Potter testified that on July 7,1995 and July 21, 1995, appellant responded to her questions regarding Ms efforts to obtain employment counseling by saying the information was already m Ms probation file. Accordmg to Potter, she told appellant the information was not in the file. At the revocation hearing, however, Potter did not testify that the information was not m appellant’s file. Instead, the record conclusively shows Potter was in error.
Appellant testified that he had attended sessions at the Texas Rehabilitation Center and had participated in career assistance counseling. Appellant said he signed a release at the Texas Rehabilitation Commission allowing Potter to obtain any information she needed. Accordmg to appellant, he told Potter to look in her file for the information concermng such activities because he could not remember the dates or names.
William G. Homyak, a therapist for Dallas Diagnostic and Counseling Services, testified that appellant had attended thirty-five sessions with him since November 1994 and had been an active participant m a weekly therapy program. Hornyak said the probation department was paying for Ms services and he sent progress reports directly to the probation department. Appellant introduced at trial copies of the ledger sheet for appellant’s visits that listed “Potter, P.O.” Appellant also introduced copies of therapy progress reports for several months preeedmg the hear-mg that were included in Ms probation file. Each report was addressed to individual probation officers at the Dallas County Probation Department, including Sandra Potter. Thus, the information sought was readily available to the probation officer or already in appellant’s file.
Because Potter did not mdieate she had reviewed appellant’s file to determine whether or not the appellant’s file contained the information from the agencies, and appellant did not know the answers to Potter’s questions, the State failed to prove by a preponderance of the evidence that appellant intentionally failed to “report.” Instead, the record shows appellant was unable to supply the requested information to his probation officer, who clearly had convement access to the information she sought from appellant.
Therefore, the State failed to prove by a preponderance of the evidence that appellant intentionally and knowingly failed to report by deelinmg to answer Potter’s questions to her satisfaction. I would sustain appellant’s first pomt of error.
In Ms second point of error, appellant contends the trial court abused its discretion in revoking his commumty supervision for fail*906ure to pay the fine, court costs, and probation fees. At the hearing on the State’s motion to revoke, appellant raised the de-' fense of inability to pay. As such, appellant had the burden of persuading the trial court he could not pay the fees. See Hill v. State, 719 S.W.2d 199, 201 (Tex.Crim.App.1986); Stanfield v. State, 718 S.W.2d 734, 737 (Tex.Crim.App.1986). The State retained the burden, however, of proving appellant intentionally failed to pay the fees, costs, and fine. Stanfield, 718 S.W.2d at 738. Appellant’s ability to pay relates to whether appellant, intentionally did not pay the fees, costs, and fine. See id. If a probationer has the ability to pay but does not, there is a strong inference appellant’s failure to pay was intentional. Id.
Potter testified she had no information concerning appellant’s income. Appellant testified that he had no income. Thus, the issue is whether appellant remained unemployed voluntarily. Potter said she did not know whether appellant sought help from the Texas Rehabilitation Commission or career assessment counseling in obtaining a job. As discussed above, appellant did attend counseling and the probation department’s records either included his progress reports or were readily available. Appellant was a machinist by trade, but had epilepsy and took medication for the condition. The doctor instructed appellant he could not drive a car or operate heavy machinery. Appellant testified, that the only income he had received since being placed on probation was from AFDC (temporarily while his son was living with him) and food stamps. He lived at his parent’s house. His mother was his only means of transportation. According to appellant, he had related this information to his first probation officer.
Concerning his lack of employment, appellant testified that he had attempted to find a job. The work he attempted to obtain or those positions suggested to him were located in places where he might come into contact with minors. Therefore, his opportunities were limited. Appellant indicated that he would continué searching for a job. Appellant said he would pay the costs if and when he found a job.
On cross-examinhtion, the State asked appellant if there was another job he could perform other than that of a machinist. More specifically, the State asked appellant if he could “push a broom.” Appellant said he could do janitorial work, but that available positions would put him in contact with children under the age of eighteen. The State then asked if appellant was claiming there were no jobs in Dallas County where he would not come in contact with minors. Appellant said he did not know, but he had looked for such a job and had not found one. The State indicated that appellant did not really look for a job. Appellant reiterated that he had looked for a job. Immediately thereafter, the State asked how often appellant witnessed door-to-door before being told to cease such activity. Appellant said he had witnessed on Friday and Saturday. The State asked what appellant did the other five days of the week. Appéllant answered, “nothing.”
From this questioning, the majority concludes appellant did not look for a job, but instead stayed home doing nothing. Further, the majority indicates that appellant could have obtained a janitorial job in a nursing home without violating the conditions of his probation because Potter had told him he could witness in a nursing home. The majority does not explain, however, how the probation officer would have the authority to amend the conditions of appellant’s probation or to excuse him from the strictly enforced restrictions against coming in contact with minors while he was working at a nursing home when it is common knowledge that minors are often visitors at nursing homes. Thus, the majority’s conclusion is not only mere speculation, but I find the State’s insinuation that appellant could have found a job without violating this condition patently disingenuous. If appellant’s witnessing door-to-door in the company of fellow church members and witnessing by telephone raised such concern about his coming in contact with minors in violation of his probation, I am unable to think of many jobs in Dallas County where appellant would not potentially come in contact with a minor. The same risks identified by the probation officer and *907the trial court in appellant’s religious activities also attended every action necessary for appellant to work outside his mother’s home: the riding of a bus to work, entering the building, working inside the building, answering the phone, leaving the building, and traveling home.
After reading the entire line of questioning, it is clear appellant looked for a job and could not find one. When asked about his religious activities, appellant indicated he witnessed two days out of the week. He did not perform any religious activities the other five days of the week. Because he could not find a job, appellant had no income with which to pay the requisite costs. Mere speculation on the State’s and the majority’s part that appellant may have been able to obtain a job at a nursing home is insufficient to defeat appellant’s defense of inability to pay.
In summary, nothing controverted appellant’s testimony concerning his attendance at the community agencies for employment guidance and his search for a job under his physical handicap and the strict limitations of his probation. In fact, the State produced not a scintilla of evidence appellant had any income or a realistic opportunity to gain employment without violating the stringent conditions of his probation. As such, the State failed to prove by a preponderance of the evidence that appellant intentionally failed to pay his fees and costs.
In conclusion, when a probationer has never missed an appointment with his probation officer and has answered all the officer’s questions relating to the conditions of his probation to the extent of his knowledge, the trial court’s revocation of probation for failure to report is not supported by a preponderance of the evidence, and therefore, constitutes an abuse of discretion. Smith, 932 S.W.2d at 282. The State also failed to prove by a preponderance of the evidence that appellant intentionally failed to pay the costs, fine, and fees. Because the State failed to prove by a preponderance of the evidence that appellant intentionally violated the conditions of his probation, the trial court’s revocation of appellant’s probation was an abuse of discretion and should be reversed.
I respectfully dissent.

. In addition, Potter asked appellant for names and phone numbers of people from his church to verily his activities. Specifically, Potter wanted to ascertain whether appellant came into contact with minors. Appellant did not have the requested information. According to appellant, he asked the church for names and phone numbers of church members who had witnessed with him, but the church did not give him this information. Appellant further testified that he invited Potter to attend a memorial service at his church. In this way, Potter could obtain necessary information.

. Maintaining suitable employment was a condition of appellant’s probation. However, the motion to revoke does not allege appellant violated this provision.