Court Opinion

ID: 9470720
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-05 03:14:12.711124+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:42:04.557697
License: Public Domain

POOLE, Circuit Judge,
dissenting:
I respectfully dissent.
The only issue on this appeal is whether the district court abused the broad discretion granted it in determining that the appellant’s probation should be revoked for violations of the terms of that probation, United States v. Diaz-Burgos, 601 F.2d 983, 985 (9th Cir.1980), and I do not believe he did so.
Within certain broad limits, there is no doubt that the sentencing court’s exercise of discretion whether to revoke pi'obation can be overturned only for an abuse of discretion. Burns v. United States, 287 U.S. 216, 221-23, 53 S.Ct. 154, 156, 77 L.Ed. 266 (1932); United States v. McLeod, 608 F.2d 1076, 1079 (9th Cir.1979); United States v. Dane, 570 F.2d 840, 843 (9th Cir. 1977).
The record does not warrant the majority’s finding that the trial court exceeded its proper limits. The appellant conceded at the revocation hearing that he had not served the eleven weekends remaining in his term, nor had he appeared when required before the district court or the probation office. Those two omissions were undisputed violations of the terms of the probationary grant. The district court’s further finding that Hamilton was not lawfully employed in 1980 and 1981 was not clearly erroneous, and that was also a violation. While technical or minor violations should not form the justification for revocation, United States v. Tyler, 605 F.2d 851 (5th Cir.1979), the violations found by the district court were more than merely technical. In failing to complete the sentence, failing to keep his probation officer informed of his address, missing an appearance before the district court, and failing to maintain lawful employment, the appellant’s conduct could properly be viewed as violating the core conditions of his probation. On such a record, the district court had sufficient basis to find the violations were serious and continuing, “so as to indicate that the [probationer] is not adjusting properly and cannot be counted on to avoid antisocial activity.” Morrissey v. Brewer, 408 U.S. 471, 479, 92 S.Ct. 2593, 2599, 33 L.Ed.2d 484 (1972).
The majority leaned on its characterization of one of the reported violations as “stale,” in that it had occurred three years prior to the revocation. It sees something “fundamentally unfair” about using this as a partial basis for the revocation. I disagree.
First, the record indicates that this earlier violation was only one of several upon which the court based its decision; more recent violations were also considered. Further, there has been no showing of prejudice to the probationer in the three year delay. To prejudice a probationer, such delay must impair his ability to contest the *1417alleged facts constituting his violations, cause hardship in finding and presenting favorable witnesses, or adversely affect his ability to produce evidence of mitigating circumstances demonstrating that his violations do not warrant revocation. United States v. Wickham, 618 F.2d 1307, 1310 (9th Cir.1980). That did not happen here. The appellant admitted that he did not serve the required time, had the opportunity to present mitigating circumstances, and produced two witnesses who testified on his behalf at the revocation hearing. Moreover, we have previously affirmed revocation of probation when the violations charged occurred up to four years before the initiation of revocation proceedings. See United States v. Bonanno, 452 F.Supp. 743, 761-62 (N.D.Cal.1978), aff’d 595 F.2d 1229 (9th Cir.1979).
In concluding that the district court abused its discretion in revoking the appellant’s probation, the majority has chosen to interpret the factual allegations in a light highly favorable to the appellant. For example, based on the record on appeal, the majority has made a “finding” that appellant Hamilton “was misled or did not receive adequate notice as to the true nature of his obligations...” This approach misconstrues the nature of the evidence needed to support a probation revocation and it ignores our proper standard of review on appeal. The majority, with no justification, has “resolved” the inferences as if we, not the district court, had the advantage of and the responsibility for considering facts before it.
Because a revocation of probation is an exercise of the broad discretionary power of the district judge, evidence that would establish guilt beyond a reasonable doubt is not needed to demonstrate that a violation occurred. Nor is even “substantial evidence” required. Rather, in evaluating the evidence and facts, the district judge need only be “reasonably satisfied” that the conduct of the probationer has not been as good as required by the conditions of probation. United States y. Bonanno, 452 F.Supp. at 747 (N.D.Cal.1978), citing United States v. Francischine, 512 F.2d 827, 829 (5th Cir.), cert. denied, 423 U.S. 931, 96 S.Ct. 284, 46 L.Ed.2d 261 (1975). In consistently interpreting the evidence in a manner most favorable to the appellant, the majority appears to forget that the government is the prevailing party in the proceeding below. Cf. United States v. Grayson, 597 F.2d 1225, 1229 (9th Cir.), cert. denied sub nom. MacGregor v. United States, 444 U.S. 873, 100 S.Ct. 153, 62 L.Ed.2d 99 and 444 U.S. 875, 100 S.Ct. 157, 62 L.Ed.2d 102 (1979) (on appeal from a criminal conviction, reviewing court must construe the evidence in the light most favorable to the government).
The record before us does not support a conclusion that the district court abused its discretion. I think this conclusion of the majority is unfortunate. I would affirm the district court’s revocation.