gno.law

In re I.S. CA4/1

California Court of Appeal · D081589 · 2023-07-13 · Unpublished

Proceeding
appeal from a judgment
Trial court
Superior Court of San Diego County · No. J244230
Trial judge
Robert J. Trentacosta
Outcome
affirmed — Affirmed.
Area
delinquency
Panel
Michele M. Castillo (author), Richard D. Huffman, Sr., Laurence D. Rubin

Analysis

A model's reading — qwen3.8-27b, prompt v1, 2026-10-13T04:32Z · confidence high

The trial court ordered the juvenile defendant to pay $1,922.04 in restitution to the victim's father for lost wages and sick leave incurred due to the defendant's criminal threat. The Court of Appeal affirmed the judgment, finding no arguable issues on independent review under Wende/Anders.

Ruling reviewedStandardThe courtThe model
Award of $1,922.04 in restitution for the victim's father's lost wages and sick leave.
“The court found that J.B.’s taking sick leave and time off to care for A.B. and attend the restitution hearing did not constitute a windfall and awarded A.B. $1,922.04 in restitution.”
abuse of discretionnot reachedagree with court
The appellate court did not explicitly rule on the merits of the restitution amount because it was conducting an independent Wende/Anders review and found no arguable issues to address. The court noted that the issue identified by counsel 'lacks arguable merit' and that the review 'has disclosed no reasonably arguable issues on appeal.'

Authorities

  • relied: People v. Wende (1979) 25 Cal.3d 436 — Requires appointed appellate counsel to conduct an independent review of the record for error when no issues are raised.
  • relied: Anders v. California (1967) 386 U.S. 738 — Establishes the procedure for appointed counsel to file a brief identifying issues that might arguably support an appeal.
  • relied: In re Alexander A. (2011) 192 Cal.App.4th 847 — Directs courts to order restitution sufficient to fully reimburse victims for economic losses unless compelling and extraordinary reasons exist.
  • relied: People v. Chappelone (2010) 183 Cal.App.4th 1159 — Restitution is intended to compensate for actual loss and not provide a windfall to the victim.
  • relied: In re K.F. (2009) 173 Cal.App.4th 655 — Restitution awards are vested in the trial court's discretion and reviewed for abuse of discretion; sick leave is a compensable loss.

The appellate opinion: sound — The opinion is procedurally sound as it correctly applies the Wende/Anders framework for independent review. It accurately cites binding authority establishing that lost wages and sick leave are compensable economic losses in juvenile restitution cases, supporting the conclusion that no arguable error exists.

How this analysis was made · dispute it

A model's reading — claude-fable-5-1, prompt v1, 2026-10-13T04:30Z · confidence low

The juvenile court accepted I.S.'s admission to one count of making a criminal threat (Pen. Code, § 422), declared him a ward, and ordered $1,922.04 in victim restitution for the father's lost wages and sick leave while caring for the frightened minor victim and attending the restitution hearing. On appeal, appointed counsel filed a Wende/Anders brief identifying only the restitution amount as a possible issue; the Court of Appeal independently reviewed the record, found no arguable issue, and affirmed.

Ruling reviewedStandardThe courtThe model
Restitution order of $1,922.04 to the victim's father (J.B.) for four days of lost work/sick leave caring for the minor victim and four hours of lost work to attend the restitution hearing.
“The court found that J.B.’s taking sick leave and time off to care for A.B. and attend the restitution hearing did not constitute a windfall and awarded A.B. $1,922.04 in restitution.”
abuse of discretioncorrectagree with court
Welfare and Institutions Code section 730.6, subdivision (h) mandates full reimbursement of determined economic losses, expressly includes wages lost by a minor victim's parent while caring for the minor, and In re K.F. holds that used sick leave is a compensable loss; the restitution amount was tied to specific claimed hours, so no abuse of discretion appears on the record described. The opinion does not separately analyze whether wages lost to attend the restitution hearing fall within the enumerated categories of section 730.6, subdivision (h)(1), and it does not explain how a non-physical 'injury' from a criminal threat fits the 'injured minor' language, but given the broad constitutional and statutory mandate and the deferential standard, the result is defensible.
Independent Wende/Anders review of the entire record (including competency proceedings, the admission, and disposition) disclosed no reasonably arguable issues.
“Our review of the record pursuant to Wende, including the possible issue listed by counsel pursuant to Anders, has disclosed no reasonably arguable issues on appeal.”
unclearcorrectagree with court
The court followed the Wende procedure: counsel filed a no-issue brief identifying one potential issue, the minor was given the opportunity to file a supplemental brief and did not, and the court conducted its own review. Nothing in the recited procedural history (competency doubt resolved by stipulation, negotiated admission with dismissal of remaining counts, wardship) suggests an arguable error, though the opinion's brevity means the reviewer cannot independently verify the record.

Authorities

  • relied: People v. Wende (1979) 25 Cal.3d 436 — When appointed appellate counsel files a brief raising no issues, the Court of Appeal must independently review the entire record for arguable issues.
  • relied: Anders v. California (1967) 386 U.S. 738 — Appointed counsel who finds no meritorious issues may file a brief referring to anything in the record that might arguably support the appeal.
  • relied: In re Alexander A. (2011) 192 Cal.App.4th 847 — Welfare and Institutions Code section 730.6, subdivision (h) directs the juvenile court to order restitution sufficient to fully reimburse the victim for all determined economic losses absent compelling and extraordinary reasons.
  • relied: People v. Chappelone (2010) 183 Cal.App.4th 1159 — A restitution order is intended to compensate the victim for actual loss, not to provide a windfall.
  • relied: In re K.F. (2009) 173 Cal.App.4th 655 — Juvenile restitution awards are reviewed for abuse of discretion, and sick leave used by a victim is a compensable economic loss.

The appellate opinion: sound with gaps — The court correctly applied the Wende/Anders procedure and cited the governing constitutional and statutory restitution provisions and apposite Court of Appeal authority, and the deferential standard supports affirmance of a restitution award based on documented lost wages and sick leave. It did not, however, specifically address whether wages lost to attend the restitution hearing fit within section 730.6, subdivision (h)(1)'s enumerated categories, it contains a garbled statutory citation ('subd. (H)(1)(c)'), and it inconsistently describes the award as made to A.B. rather than J.B.

How this analysis was made · dispute it

Opinion

Filed 7/13/23 In re I.S. CA4/1 NOT TO BE PUBLISHED IN OFFICIAL REPORTS California Rules of Court, rule 8.1115(a), prohibits courts and parties from citing or relying on opinions not certified for publication or ordered published, except as specified by rule 8.1115(b). This opinion has not been certified for publication or ordered published for purposes of rule 8.1115.

COURT OF APPEAL, FOURTH APPELLATE DISTRICT

DIVISION ONE

STATE OF CALIFORNIA

In re I.S., A Person Coming Under the D081589 Juvenile Court Law. _____________________________________ THE PEOPLE, (Super. Ct. No. J244230)

Plaintiff and Respondent v. I.S., Defendant and Appellant, APPEAL from a judgment of the Superior Court of San Diego County, Robert J. Trentacosta, Judge. Affirmed. Richard Schwartzberg, under appointment by the Court of Appeal, for Defendant and Appellant.

I.S. appeals after he admitted the truth of making a criminal threat against A.B., another minor, at school. The court ordered restitution to A.B.’s father, J.B., in the amount of $1,922.04 for missed work. I.S.’s court- appointed counsel filed a brief raising no issues but seeking our independent review of the record pursuant to People v. Wende (1979) 25 Cal.3d 436 (Wende) and Anders v. California (1967) 386 U.S. 738 (Anders). We find no arguable issue and affirm. FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND In November 2021, I.S. displayed a knife to A.B. at their school. J.B. had A.B. stay home from school after the incident because A.B. was afraid. I.S. was charged in a Welfare and Institutions Code section 602 petition with two counts of making a criminal threat against two different minors (counts 1 and 2; Pen. Code,1 § 422), possessing a knife on school grounds (count 3; § 626.10, subd. (a)(1)), and misdemeanor exhibiting a weapon (count 4; § 417, subd. (a)(1)). I.S.’s counsel declared a doubt as to I.S.’s competency. (§ 1368.) The court authorized a competency evaluation. I.S.’s counsel later stipulated to I.S.’s competency and the court reinstated the proceeding. I.S. admitted count 1 with the agreement he would be made a ward of the court and should he successfully complete one-year of supervision, that count would be reduced to a misdemeanor. The court dismissed the remaining counts and continued the proceedings for a disposition hearing. At the disposition hearing, the court made I.S. a ward of the court and continued the proceedings for a restitution hearing. At a restitution hearing, J.B. requested four days of restitution for missed work while home with A.B. The People also requested J.B. be reimbursed for four hours of missed work to attend the restitution hearing. The court found that J.B.’s taking sick leave and time off to care for A.B. and attend the restitution hearing did not constitute a windfall and awarded A.B. $1,922.04 in restitution.

1 Undesignated statutory references are to the Penal Code.

2 DISCUSSION Appointed appellate counsel has filed a brief summarizing the facts and proceedings below. He presented no argument for reversal but asked this court to review the record for error as mandated by Wende, supra, 25 Cal.3d 436. Counsel has identified the following issue that “might arguably support the appeal” (Anders, supra, 386 U.S. at p. 744), whether the court abused its discretion in awarding restitution in the amount of $1,922.04. We granted I.S. permission to file a brief on his own behalf. He has not responded. The issue identified by counsel lacks arguable merit. The California Constitution gives trial courts broad power to impose restitution on offenders for losses caused by their criminal conduct. (Cal. Const., art. I, § 28, subd. (b)(13)(A) [“all persons who suffer losses as a result of criminal activity shall have the right to seek and secure restitution from the persons convicted of the crimes causing the losses they suffer”].) Welfare and Institutions Code “[s]ection 730.6, subdivision (h) directs the court to order restitution ‘of a dollar amount sufficient to fully reimburse the victim or victims for all determined economic losses incurred as the result of the minor’s conduct’ unless it finds compelling and extraordinary reasons for not doing so.” (In re Alexander A. (2011) 192 Cal.App.4th 847, 853.) “A restitution order is intended to compensate the victim for [his or her] actual loss and is not intended to provide the victim with a windfall.” (People v. Chappelone (2010) 183 Cal.App.4th 1159, 1172.) “[R]estitution awards are vested in the trial court’s discretion and will be disturbed on appeal only where an abuse of discretion appears.” (In re K.F. (2009) 173 Cal.App.4th 655, 661.) Wages lost by the parents of a minor victim while caring for the injured minor are compensable. (Welf. & Inst. Code, § 730.6, subd. (H)(1)(c).) Sick leave used is also a compensable loss. (In re K.F., supra, at p. 666.)

3 Our review of the record pursuant to Wende, including the possible issue listed by counsel pursuant to Anders, has disclosed no reasonably arguable issues on appeal. Competent counsel has represented I.S. both at trial and on appeal. DISPOSITION The judgment is affirmed.

CASTILLO, J.

WE CONCUR:

HUFFMAN, Acting P. J.

RUBIN, J.

Cites, in this corpus