Court Opinion

ID: 9602552
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-22 01:56:44.08207+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:02:04.777214
License: Public Domain

Judge Greene
dissenting.
I agree with the majority that restitution in juvenile court must be determined in accordance with the same standards used to establish restitution in adult court. See N.C.G.S. § 7A-631 (1995) (all rights afforded adult offenders are conferred upon juveniles); In re Dulaney, 74 N.C. App. 587, 588, 328 S.E.2d 904, 906 (1985) (juvenile entitled to have evidence evaluated by the same standards as apply to criminal proceedings against adults). I also agree that the cost of repair of personal property is a proper measure of damage only if the cost of repair is not materially greater than the value of the property before the harm. See 22 Am. Jur. 2d Damages § 432, at 517 (1988) (“it is not prudent to assume that repairs would be made if the cost of repairs would be materially greater than the value of the chattel before the harm”).
I do not, however, agree that the evidence in this case “indicates that the seven vehicles were not worth $4,000.00” prior to the damage caused by the respondents. Joseph Morton, the owner, testified that each of the seven vehicles had a minimum value, before they were damaged, of $650.00 or a total value of $4,550.00. He also testified that the cost to repair the seven vehicles was $4,685.00. The respondents did not object to this testimony and they did not offer any contrary evidence.
The uncontradicted evidence, therefore, is that the cost of the repairs is not materially greater than the value of the vehicles prior to the date they were damaged. The cost of repairs was accordingly a proper measure of the damages and the trial court did not err in ordering restitution in the amount of $4,000.00, a sum less than the cost of repair. I would therefore affirm the trial court.