FOR PUBLICATION
ATTORNEY FOR APPELLANT: ATTORNEYS FOR APPELLEE:
JAMES R. RECKER STEPHEN R. CARTER
Greencastle, Indiana Attorney General of Indiana
Indianapolis, Indiana
JUSTIN F. ROEBEL
Deputy Attorney General
Indianapolis, Indiana
IN THE
COURT OF APPEALS OF INDIANA
IN THE MATTER OF T.H.,
)
)
Appellant-Respondent, )
)
vs. ) No. 67A01-0311-JV-438
)
STATE OF INDIANA, )
)
Appellee-Petitioner. )
APPEAL FROM THE PUTNAM CIRCUIT COURT
The Honorable Diana LaViolette, Judge
Cause No. 67C01-0305-JD-38
JUNE 11, 2004
OPINION - FOR PUBLICATION
HOFFMAN, Senior Judge
Respondent-Appellant T.H. (the Juvenile) appeals from the trial courts adjudication of her as
a delinquent child.
On March 14, 2003, a Wal-Mart loss prevention employee observed the Juvenile squat
down and look back and forth like she was looking to see if
anybody was watching her. Tr. 32, 34. The Juvenile handled three
or four wallets that were on display and then opened a black and
white wallet, pulled the packaging off, and placed the packaging back on the
shelf. The Juvenile then stood up, closed the wallet, and placed the
wallet in her back pocket. The Juvenile walked to the front of
the store, got a drink of water from a water fountain, and then
proceeded to walk out of the store. The loss prevention employee followed
the Juvenile out of the store and stopped her. The loss prevention
employee then led the Juvenile and her mother to the loss prevention office
where they waited for the police to arrive.
On May 16, 2003, the State filed a petition alleging that the Juvenile
had committed a delinquent act that would be conversion if committed by an
adult. At the Juveniles initial hearing the Juvenile admitted the allegation in
the petition. The trial court found that a factual basis existed, entered
an adjudication of delinquency, and set the matter for a dispositional hearing.
At the dispositional hearing the Juvenile advised the trial court that she wished
to withdraw her prior admission and enter a denial to the allegation.
The trial court granted the Juveniles motion, appointed counsel to represent her, and
set the matter for a fact-finding hearing.
On August 13, 2003, the Juvenile filed a motion for a change of
judge pursuant to Ind. Trial Rule 76(B). T.R. 76 does not require
the filing of an affidavit showing cause for the change. The Juvenile,
therefore, did not file an affidavit showing cause for the change. The
trial court denied the motion on August 14, 2003. On August 18,
2003, prior to the start of the fact-finding hearing, the Juvenile restated her
motion for change of judge, which the trial court indicated was denied.
The fact-finding hearing was held after which the trial court found the Juvenile
to be a delinquent. At the dispositional hearing the Juvenile was placed
on probation for twelve months, given a curfew, and was ordered to attend
counseling.
This appeal ensued.
The Juvenile claims that the trial court erred when it denied her motion
for change of judge. She asserts that our supreme court, in State
ex rel. Gosnell v. Cass Circuit Court, 577 N.E.2d 957 (Ind. 1991), invalidated
a former version of Ind. Code § 31-32-8-1, the juvenile code section providing
for a change of judge, and replaced that provision with the requirements for
T.R. 76. The State also cites to Gosnell, but argues that the
entire juvenile code section was invalidated by the case, thus providing for the
application of the Indiana Rules of Criminal Procedure.
Our supreme court found, in Gosnell, that a previous version of the change
of judge section in the juvenile code was in conflict with T.R. 76,
because the statute requires that cause be shown for the granting of a
change. 577 N.E.2d at 958. The supreme court held that that
provision of the statute therefore was void and of no effect and the
provisions of T.R. 76 prevailed. Id. Gosnell, however, involved a change
of judge motion in a CHINS proceeding.
Ind. Code §31-32-1-3 provides that in cases not subject to section 1 or
2 of that chapter, the Indiana Rules of Trial Procedure apply in all
matters not covered by the juvenile law. Therefore, in Gosnell, a CHINS
matter which is not subject to Ind. Code §31-32-1-1 or 2, the supreme
court was required to analyze the conflict between the juvenile code provision and
the Indiana Rules of Trial Procedure. The supreme court found that T.R.
76 prevailed. 577 N.E.2d at 958.
Gosnell, therefore, would not be applicable to the present case, a juvenile delinquency
proceeding. Ind. Code §31-32-1-1 provides that if a child is alleged to
be a delinquent child, the procedures governing criminal trials apply in all matters
not covered by the juvenile law. Ind. Code § 31-32-8-1 provides that
except as provided in section 2 of that chapter, a change of judge
may be granted only for good cause shown by affidavit filed at least
twenty-four (24) hours before the fact-finding hearing. Ind. Crim. Rule 12(B) provides
[i]n felony or misdemeanor cases, the state or defendant may request a change
of judge for bias or prejudice. The party shall timely file an
affidavit that the judge has a personal bias or prejudice against the state
or defendant. The affidavit shall state the facts and the reasons for
the belief that such bias or prejudice exists, and shall be accompanied by
a certificate from the attorney of record that the attorney in good faith
believes that the historical facts recited in the affidavit are true. The
request shall be granted if the historical facts recited in the affidavit support
a rational inference of bias or prejudice.
(emphasis added).
Consequently, the Juvenile was required to file an affidavit showing cause for her
motion for change of judge, whether proceeding under Ind. Code §31-32-8-1, or under
Crim. R. 12(B). The provisions of T.R. 76, used by the Juvenile
in the present case, are inapplicable. The trial court correctly denied the
Juveniles motion for change of judge.
The parties were notified by a copy of the Chronological Case Summary entry
that the motion for change of judge had been denied. Prior to
the start of the fact-finding hearing, the Juveniles counsel reminded the judge of
that motion, and clarified that the motion had been denied. The Juveniles
counsel and the trial court engaged in a discussion about the reason for
the denial including the trial courts opinion that the motion had been untimely
filed. While the record shows that the motion may have been timely
filed, there was no affidavit showing cause filed with the motion. Therefore,
there was no error in the trial courts decision to deny the motion.
Affirmed.
KIRSCH, C.J., and BAKER, J., concur.