In the Matter of Thomas B., Unpublished Decision (3-24-2000)
In the Matter of Thomas B., Unpublished Decision (3-24-2000)
Opinion of the Court
Appellant sets forth the following five assignments of error:
"ASSIGNMENT OF ERROR
"I. THE TRIAL COURT ERRED IN FAILING TO GRANT APPELLANT A HEARING ON HIS MOTION TO SUPPRESS
"II. THE TRIAL COURT ERRED IN FAILING TO GRANT APPELLANT'S MOTION TO SUPPRESS
"III. THE TRIAL COURT ERRED IN FAILING TO GRANT APPELLANT'S MOTION TO DISMISS AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE STATE'S CASE
"IV. THE TRIAL COURT ERRED IN FINDING APPELLANT TO BE A JUVENILE TRAFFIC OFFENDER, AS THE ADJUDICATION IN THIS MATTER IS NOT SUPPORTED BY THE SUFFICIENCY AND/OR THE GREATER WEIGHT OF THE EVIDENCE
"V. THE TRIAL COURT ERRED IN SENTENCING
APPELLANT UNDER A STATUTE THAT WAS NOT IN EFFECT AT THE TIME OF THE ALLEGED OFFENSE NOR AT THE TIME OF CONVICTION"
The following facts are relevant to this appeal. A complaint was filed against appellant on March 27, 1998, charging him with reckless operation, a violation of R.C.
Appellant was tried on August 21, 1998. In a proposed decision filed October 19, 1998, the magistrate found appellant to be a juvenile traffic offender for reckless operation of a vehicle in violation of R.C.
In his first assignment of error, appellant argues that the trial court erred in failing to grant appellant a hearing on his motion to suppress. Appellant argues that the trial court should have held a hearing on his motion to suppress when a hearing was requested and when the motion to suppress contains factual allegations which support a claim for relief. This court finds merit in this assignment of error.
Juv.R. 22 provides in pertinent part:
"* * *
"(D) Prehearing Motions. Any defense, objection or request which is capable of determination without hearing on the allegations of the complaint may be raised before the adjudicatory hearing by motion. The following must be heard before the adjudicatory hearing, though not necessarily on a separate date:
"* * *
"(3) Motions to suppress evidence on the ground that it was illegally obtained;
"* * *
"The court for good cause shown may permit a motion to suppress evidence under subsection (D)(3) to be made at the time such evidence is offered."
As stated in the Commentary from the Supreme Court Advisory Committee, Juv.R. 22(D) is basically Crim.R. 12(B) and follows the holding in State v. Davis (1964),
In State v. Shindler (1994),
"In order to require a hearing on a motion to suppress evidence, the accused must state the motion's legal and factual basis with sufficient particularity to place the prosecutor and the court on notice of the issues to be decided."
The Shindler court construed and followed Xenia v.Wallace (1988),
"Once a defendant has demonstrated a warrant less search or seizure and adequately clarified that the ground upon which he challenges its legality is lack of probable cause, the prosecutor bears the burden of proof, including the burden of going forward with evidence, on the issue of whether probable cause existed for the search or seizure."
In his motion to suppress, appellant challenged the stop of his vehicle on the basis that it violated the protections afforded by the Fourth Amendment. Appellant cited legal authority and set forth the factual basis for challenging the stop. Thus, appellant's motion sufficiently puts the prosecution on notice of the basis for his challenge. Moreover, appellant requested an oral hearing, another necessary prerequisite. UniversityHeights v. Morris, (Apr. 18, 1996), Cuyahoga App. No. 69493, unreported. Therefore, because appellant satisfied both of the above requirements, this court concludes that the trial court erred in not holding an evidentiary hearing on appellant's motion to sup press.3 On remand, the burden shifts to appellee as to whether probable cause existed for the stop.
Accordingly, appellant's first assignment of error is found well-taken. Our decision as to appellant's first assignment of error renders appellant's remaining assignments of error moot.
On consideration whereof, the judgment of the Erie County Court of Common Pleas is reversed. This case is remanded to the trial court for proceedings consistent with this decision. It is ordered that appellee pay the court costs of this appeal.
JUDGMENT REVERSED.
A certified copy of this entry shall constitute the mandate pursuant to App.R. 27. See, also, 6th Dist.Loc.App.R. 4, amended 1/1/98.
Peter M. Handwork, J., Melvin L. Resnick, J.,Mark L. Pietrykowski, J., CONCUR.
"`Upon the trial of a criminal prosecution, a general objection to the introduction of evidence obtained by search and seizure raises no question other than that of the competency, relevancy and materiality of the evidence tendered, and the court is not required to then examine the collateral question of the regularity of the proceeding whereby such evidence came into the possession of the prosecution.'
"This accords with the rule `in most jurisdictions * * * that, as a general proposition subject to certain limitations, an objection to evidence as obtained by an unlawful search and seizure comes too late where it has been made the first time at the trial, and not by a pre-trial motion to return the property or suppress the evidence.' (Citation omitted.)
"The reason usually advanced for this rule `is that the trial court should not be required to stop during the course of a trial to determine a collateral issue as to legality of the means by which the prosecution obtained its evidence.' (Citation omitted.)"
"In the present case, the trial court did not hold a separate hearing for the motion to suppress pursuant to Crim.R. 12 and Juv.R. 22. Instead, at the request of the trial judge, both parties agreed to go forward with trial and at the appropriate time defense counsel was to object to the evidence he thought should be suppressed. The state proceeded with its case and defense counsel objected to the admission of the heroin. At that point, the judge heard argument from counsel and then proceeded to dismiss the case and grant the motion to suppress."We believe the state made a critical error by agreeing to go forward with the trial and not requesting a separate hearing on the motion to suppress. If the court would have strictly adhered to Crim.R. 12 and Juv.R. 22 and held a hearing on the motion to suppress double jeopardy would not have been an issue since no factual finding of innocence would have been reached.
"Nevertheless, the trial court held a trial and after considering all the evidence determined that the case should be dismissed and the motion to suppress granted. Therefore, the fact finder reached a finding of innocence and double jeopardy attached at that point pursuant to Scott, supra."
Although the appellate court in Mojica reversed the trial court's grant of the defendant's motion to suppress, the appellate court affirmed the judgment dismissing the complaint on double jeopardy grounds.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.