State v. Sullivan, Unpublished Decision (9-26-2002)
State v. Sullivan, Unpublished Decision (9-26-2002)
Opinion of the Court
{¶ 2} Appellant was indicted on one count of burglary and then charged with eight counts of receiving stolen property. On January 9, 1998, appellant's bail was set at $10,000, but he was released on his own recognizance. Appellant pled guilty to all charges. On September 25, 1998, appellant was sentenced to four years on the burglary count and six months on each of the other counts to run concurrently. The sentencing entry noted six days credit for time served. Appellant did not file a direct appeal concerning his conviction and sentence.
{¶ 3} On November 11, 2001, appellant filed a motion for reduction of his prison term. He argued that the time spent on bail before his plea and sentence was "confinement" for purposes of awarding credit for time served. He asked for two hundred sixty days credit. The within appeal is the result of the trial court's denial of this motion. Appellant's sole pro se assignment of error contends that the trial court erred in denying his motion for reduction of his prison term.
{¶ 4} Pursuant to R.C.
{¶ 5} Firstly, we note that, contrary to his contentions, the only condition of bail that is discernible from the recognizance form is that he appear at all court dates. Secondly, appellant should have appealed this issue at the time of his sentencing as the entry clearly states that appellant is entitled to six days of credit for time served. Thirdly, appellant's argument is wholly without merit. We base this pronouncement on prior case law from this court and other appellate districts, the language of the statute, and common logic.
{¶ 6} The case of State v. Shade (Feb. 22, 1995), 2nd Dist. No. 94-CA-91 is directly on point. Shade argued that she should be given "dead time" credit pursuant to R.C.
{¶ 7} Moreover, multiple courts have resolved the issue when addressing a more extreme bond condition, that of electronic house monitoring. These courts hold that when electronic house arrest is a condition of bail, there is no confinement for purposes of receiving credit for time served. State v. Radcliff (Dec. 19, 2000), 4th Dist. No. 99CA535; State v. Shearer (Dec. 17, 1999), 6th Dist. No. WD-98-078; Statev. Trifilio (July 2, 1998), 1st Dist. No. C-970681; State v. Setting
(Mar. 20, 1996), 9th Dist. No. 98CA169; State v. Faulkner (1995),
{¶ 8} Furthermore, if the legislature intended R.C.
{¶ 9} Being released on one's own recognizance with the condition of returning to court for disposition is just not confinement. Appellant should note that a legal dictionary is a secondary source, not a primary source. If appellant's piecemeal construction of various definitions represented the true state of the law, then every single person who is on bail pending trial would get credit for every single day that passes prior to sentencing, and thus, all defendants would beg for bail to be imposed (even where the court would normally release them without requiring bail), waive their speedy trial rights, seek multiple continuances for every stage of the proceedings in the trial court, and then (if they receive a stay pending appeal) drag out their appeal as long as possible in order to eradicate their sentence prior to it even being imposed. Appellant's argument is without merit.
{¶ 10} For the foregoing reasons, the judgment of the trial court is hereby affirmed.
Donofrio, J., concurs.
Waite, J., concurs.
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