Court Opinion

ID: 9662021
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-23 22:57:23.281233+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:14:35.684905
License: Public Domain

TEIGEN, Judge
(dissenting).
I dissent. I cannot agree that our statutory scheme on the suspension of imposition of sentence, being Sections 12-53-13 through 12-53-20, N.D.C.C., empowers the court to revoke the probation within a five-year period, referred to in Section 12 — 53— 13, N.D.C.C., when the term of probation was for three years, as determined by the majority, or “until the court has finally brought the matter to a close by the discharge of the defendant or by sentencing the defendant,” as opined by Judge Knud-son in his special concurrence.
The statutes furnish the measure of power which may be exercised by the court with clarity and finality. In my opinion the court has lost jurisdiction or power to make an order revoking or modifying its order suspending the imposition of sentence when the probationary period imposed by the court has expired.
Section 12-53-13, N.D.C.C., is quoted at length in the majority opinion. That section does not authorize or empower the court to revoke anything. It has nothing to do with the power to revoke. It authorizes the court to “in its discretion, suspend the imposing of the sentence and may direct that such suspension continue for a definite period of time * * * Such period shall not exceed five years * * * ” Thus the five-year limitation establishes the maximum period of time that the court may direct that such suspension shall continue.
The defendant is placed on probation during the period of suspension. Section 12-53-14, N.D.C.C. Thus the period of probation and the period of suspension are equal in time.
Section 12-53-15, N.D.C.C., empowers the court “in its discretion, without notice [to] revoke and terminate such probation, pronounce judgment, and deliver defendant to the sheriff to be transferred to the penitentiary or other state institution in accordance with the sentence imposed.” Thus before judgment may be pronounced, probation must first be terminated.
Section 12-53-17, N.D.C.C., in part, provides that “the court shall have authority at any time during the course of probation to (1) revoke, modify or change its order of suspension * * * ”
Section 12-53-18, N.D.C.C., authorizes a defendant who has fulfilled the conditions of his probation or who has been discharged from probation to, “at any time,” be permitted at the discretion of the court to *887withdraw his plea of guilty or to have the guilty verdict set aside. It further authorizes the court, in either case, to dismiss the information or indictment against him.
The majority construe the phrase contained in Section 12-53-17, N.D.C.C., “during the course of probation” as meaning something different than “the term of probation” construed in the California case of People v. O’Donnell, 37 Cal.App. 192, 174 P. 102 (1918), cited in the majority opinion, and appear to conclude that the “course of probation” necessarily, under our laws, constitutes a period which may extend beyond the term of probation directed by the court. Judge Knudson, in his concurrence, determines that the phrase “during the course of probation” is not to be construed as a limitation but broadens and extends the jurisdiction of the court, for all purposes, to include all steps of the proceedings from suspension through revocation, modification, change or termination of the period of probation irrespective of time. I cannot agree with either version. To me the phrase “during the course of probation” is synonymous with term of probation, period of suspension, and period of probation.
The word “during” is defined in Webster’s Third New International Dictionary as “throughout the continuance or course of.”
The phrase “during the course of” is defined in Words and Phrases, Permanent Edition, Volume 13A, at 533, as follows: “The absolute privilege is afforded only to those publications made ‘during the course of’ or ‘as part of’ the judicial proceeding,” citing Seltzer v. Fields, 20 A.D.2d 60, 244 N.Y.S.2d 792, 796.
The phrase “course of” is defined in Words and Phrases, Permanent Edition, Volume 10, at 180, in a number of cases cited therein, as referring to time. At page 188 through page 341 of the same volume a great many cases are cited in which the “course of employment” has reference to time, place and circumstances.
The Synonym Finder by J. I. Rodale lists the word “term” as a synonym for “course” and “course” as a synonym for “term”.
When the statutes pertaining to the suspension of imposition of sentence are read together the meaning of the phrase “during the course of probation” becomes crystal clear. Section 12-53-13, N.D.C.C., empowers the court to direct that the suspension continue for a “definite period of time.” Section 12-53-14, N.D.C.C., requires that the court shall place the defendant on probation “during the period of suspension.” “During the period of probation” the defendant is placed under the control and management of the parole board which shall assume and undertake supervision of the defendant “during the period of his probation.” Section 12-53-16, N.D.C.C., makes the probationer a fugitive from justice if he leaves the jurisdiction “prior to the expiration of his probationary period” without permission. Section 12-53-17, N.D.C.C., empowers the court to revoke the order of suspension “at any time during the course of probation.” Section 12-53-18, N.D.C.C., empowers the court to allow a withdrawal of the probationer’s plea of guilty or to have the verdict of guilty set aside, and to dismiss the information or indictment against him if the probationer has “fulfilled the conditions of his probation for the entire period thereof.”
Nowhere do our statutes on this subject use the word “term”, contained in the California statutes which the majority distinguish as having a more limited meaning than the term “course” in our statutes. The statutes are clear that the period of probation is the same period of time which the court directs that suspension shall continue during such period the defendant is on probation. Thus the duration of a suspension of imposition of sentence and the probation period are equal and both the probation period and the suspension period will have run their course upon the termination of that period of time. It is my conclusion that the wording of the statute is clear and free of all ambiguities. Section 1-02-05, N. *888D.C.C., provides: “When the wording of a statute is clear and free of all ambiguity, the letter of it is not to be disregarded under the pretext of pursuing its spirit.”
The statutes on this subject furnish the measure of power which may be exercised by the court and it loses its jurisdiction or power to revoke, modify or change its order of suspension of imposition of sentence upon the expiration of the period of suspension, which is equal in time with the period of probation. Following the expiration of the course, term or period of probation its jurisdiction or powers are limited, under proper circumstances, to allowing a withdrawal of the plea of guilty or setting aside the verdict of guilty, and the ordering of a dismissal of the information or indictment.
In this case the defendant, on the same day, entered pleas of guilty to three separate charges of burglary. In one case he was sentenced by the court. This sentence was subsequently served by the defendant. In the other two cases the court deferred the imposition of sentence for a period of almost three years and the defendant was placed on probation. Terms and conditions were imposed that during the period of probation the defendant should not violate the law and that he should “make an honest and diligent effort to repay those business establishments burglarized and to keep a record of all payments, income and efforts made to assist in the repayment of damages to those business places burglarized.”
Approximately one year prior to the expiration of the period of probation the defendant pled guilty to a charge of driving a motor vehicle while his license to drive was under suspension, and approximately nine months before the expiration of the period of probation he pled guilty to a charge of operating, or permitting the operation of, a motor vehicle with improper license plates. In addition, he made no payment toward damages caused by his participation in the burglaries.
It must be assumed that the parole officers supervising the defendant had knowledge of these infractions of the terms and conditions of his probation long before the probation period had expired. Therefore it appears that there was ample time in which action could have been taken to revoke, modify or change the order of suspension before the probation period expired. This is not a case of advantage being taken by the defendant because of technicalities. Under the law he had every reason, as does every defendant on probation, to expect that upon the expiration of the term, period or course of his probation he would be freed of the conditions of the probation, but if during such period he had not fulfilled the conditions of his probation he should not anticipate favorable action from the court on his application for a withdrawal of his plea of guilty.
I would grant the writ on the ground that the court in this case exceeded its jurisdiction.