v.
State
139 Nev., Advance Opinion LIU
IN THE COURT OF APPEALS OF THE STATE OF NEVADA
TYLER JAMES BOLDEN, No. 85099-COA Appellant, vs. THE STATE OF NEVADA, FÏJ E1 Respondent. OCT 19 202 EL CLERK BY C EF DEPUTY CLERK
Appeal from a judgment of conviction, entered pursuant to a guilty plea, of attempted lewdness with a child under the age of 14 years. Eighth Judicial District Court, Clark County; Jasmin D. Lilly-Spells, Judge. Affirmed in part, vacated in part, and remanded. JoNell Thomas, Special Public Defender, and Melinda Simpkins and Robert Arroyo, Chief Deputy Special Public Defenders, Clark County, for Appellant. Aaron D. Ford, Attorney General, Carson City; Steven B. Wolfson, District Attorney, and Alexander G. Chen, Chief Deputy District Attorney, Clark County, for Respondent. BEFORE THE COURT OF APPEALS, GIBBONS, C.J., and BULLA and WESTBROOK, JJ. COURT OF APPEALS OF NEVADA il-14051 MI 1947K OPINION By the Court, WESTB.ROOK, J.: At his sentencing, appellant Tyler James Bolden objected to the imposition of extradition restitution as well as the cost of a psychosexual evaluation on the basis that he lacked the ability to pay. Over his objection, the district court ordered Bolden to pay both the restitution and the full evaluation cost but waived the $25 administrative assessment fee required under NRS 176.062(1). ln this appeal, we consider whether and to what extent the district court must make an investigative inquiry into a defen.dant's ability to pay extradition restitution under NRS 179.225(2) before ordering the defendant to pay that restitution. We also consider whether NRS 176.139(7) requires the district court to make a similar inquiry prior to requiring the ,defendant to pay the psychosexual evaluation cost. We conclude that the plain language of NRS 179.225(2). requires the district court to inquire, prior to sentencing, into the defendant's ability to pay extradition restitution in light of any existing obligations for child support, victim restitution, or administrative assessments. NRS 179.225(2)(a)-(c).. The district court's statutory duty is satisfied by asking the defendant whether they have any such obligations that would be impacted by the imposition of extradition restitution and by determining whether the defendant is able to pay such obligations or, alternatively, if extradition restitution would prevent the defendant from satisfying those obligations. In contrast, we conclude that the plain language of NRS 176.139(7) does not require the district court, sua sponte, to conduct a similar investigative inquiry before requiring a defendant to pay for the cost COURT OF APPEALS OF NEVADA 2 CO) 19•171i ...ea. • of a psychosexual evaluation. Rather, it is incumbent upon the defendant to object to the psychosexual evaluation cost based on their inability to pay, and the defend.ant bears the bui...den to substantiate that inability to pay before the court can reduce or waive the psychosexual evaluation cost. However, once a defendant has done so, the court must mak.e findings On the record as to the extent of the defendant's ability to pay and must impose the cost of the psychosexual evaluation only to that extent. In this case, because the district court did not undertake an investigative inquiry prior to ordering Bolden to pay extradition restitution under NRS 179.225(2) or address Bolden's alleged inability to pay the psychosexual evaluation cost following his timely and substantiated objection, we affirm the judgment of conviction, vacate the sentence as to restitution and the cost of . the psychosexual evaluation, and remand for resentencing. PROCEDURAL AND FACTUAL HISTOR Y After bei.ng extradited from Michigan to Nevada, Bolden entered into negotiations with the State to plead guilty to one count of attempted lewdness with a child under the age of 14 years. His negotiation . . included an agreement to pay extradition restitution, if an.y was ordered, and an agreement to undergo a psychosexual evaluation pursuant to NRS 1.76.139. .At the sentencing hearing, the State requested that the court impose restitution for extradition expenses in the amount of $3525, as well as the cost of Bolden's psychosexual evaluation in the amount of $1689.30. Bolden objected to both. the extradition restitution and psychosexual evaluation cost and claimed. that he did not have the ability to pay either amount. Bolden specifically referenced NRS 179.225 in support of his assertion that the extradition restitution should be waived. The district COURT OF APPEALS OF NEVADA 3. (0) 19471i aiSPIt, court reviewed NRS 179.225 and stated that it "read that statute only to say that the Administrative Assessment fee can be [waived.]" After sentencing Bolden to a term of 42 to 144 months in prison, the district court di.d "not find a basis to waive the extradition cost" and imposed both the extradition restitution and psychosexual evaluation cost in full but waived the $25 administrative assessment required under NRS 176.062(1). Bolden now appeals, challenging the imposition of the restitution for his extradition expenses and the cost .of his psychosexual evaluation. ANALYSIS In this appeal, we address the following i.ssues: (1) whether and to what extent NRS 179.225(2) requires the district court to conduct an investigative inquiry into the defendant's ability to pay before ordering the defendant to pay extradition restitution, and (2) whether NRS 176.139(7) imposes a similar investigative requirement on the district court to inquire as to the defendant's ability to pay the cost of a psychosexual evaluation before ordering the defendant to pay that cost. The decision to impose restitution under NRS 176.033(3), including extradition restitution pursuant to NRS 1.79.225, is a sentencing determination. Martinez v. State, 115 Nev. 9, 12, 974 P.2d 133, 135 (1999).1 The district court has broad discretion when sentencing a defendant, and "in the absence of a showing of abuse of such discretion, we will not disturb the sentence." Parrish, v. State, 116 Nev. 982, 988-89, 12 P.3d 953. 957 (1980) (quoting Deveroux v. State, 96 Nev. 388, 390, 610 P.2d 722, 724 1.We note that although Martinez addressed restitution to victims of crime Under NRS 176.033(3) (formerly codified as .NRS 176.033(1)(c), see 2019 Nev. Stat.,. ch. 633, § 10.5, at 4382), the same statute provides for.both restitution to victims of crime as well as restitution to the State of Nevada or other governmental entity for extradition expenses. COURT OF APPEALS OF NEVADA (0) 1947H 4441PD (1980)). "An abuse of discretion occurs if the district court's decision is arbitrary or capricious or if it exceeds the bounds of law or reason." Crawford v. State, 121 Nev. 744, 748, 121 P.3d 582, 585 (2005) (quoting Jackson v. State, 11.7 Nev.. 116, 120, 17 P.3d 998, 1000 (2001)). Imposition of extradition restitution nolden first contends that the district • court abused its discretion when it imposed extradition restitution without first investigating his ability to pay under NRS 179.225(2).2 To evaluate this argument, we must engage i.n statutory interpretation, which, like other questions of law, we review de novo. See Doolin v. State, Dep't of Corr., 134 Nev. 809, 811, 4.40 P.3d 53, 55 (Ct. App. 2018). "The goal of statutory interpretation is to give effect to the Legislature's intent." Id. (internal quotation marks omitted). To determine the Legislature's intent, we begin by looking at the statute's plain language. Id. In doing so, we "interpret a rule or statute in harmony with other rules or statutes." Id. (internal quotation marks omitted). Here, the relevant language is contained in subsections (2) and (3) of NRS 179.225: 2. If a person is returned to this State pursuant to this' chapter or Chapter 178 of NRS and is convicted of or pleads guilty, guilty but mentally ill or nolo contendere to, the criminal charge for which the•person was returned or a lesser criminal charge, the court shall conduct an. investigatipn. of the financial status of the person to determine the • ability to' make restitution. In conducting the 2NRS 179.225 addresses only extradition restitution. Accordingly, unless specifically noted otherwise, our discussion herein applies only to extradition restitution and not to any other type of restitution. COURT OF APPEALS OF NEVADA 5 (()) 1947B •investigation, the court shall determine if the person is able to pay any existing obligations for: (a) Child. support; (b) Restitution to victims of crimes; and (c) Any administrative assessment required to be pa.id pursuant to NRS 62E.270, 176.059, 176.0611., 176.0613, 176.062 and 176.0623. 3. If the court determines that the person is financially able to pay the obligations described in subsection 2, it shall, in addition to any other sentence it may i.mpose, order the person to rnake restitution for the expenses incurred by the Office of the Attorney General or other governmental entity in returning the person to this State. The court shall not order the person to make restitution if payment . of restitution will prevent the person frOm paying any existing obligations 'described in subsection 2. Any amount of restitution .remaining unpaid•cdnstitutes a civil liability arising upon the date of the completion of the sentence. Under the plain language of NRS 179.225(2), the district court is required to undertake an investigative inquiry in all eXtradition cases that result in a conviction. See Thomas v. State, 88 Nev. 382, 384, 4:98 P.2d 1314, 1315 (1972) (recognizing that "shall" is generally construed as mandatory):- Th.e subject matter of that inquiry is mandated by statute: the court "shall." inquire into "the financial status ofthe : person to determine the ability to make restitution." NRS 1.79.225(2). In doing so, the district court "shall" inquire if t.he d.efendant has the ability. to pay any existing obligations for child Support, victim restitution, or administrative assessments aa . listed in NRS 179.225(2)(a)7(c). The purpose of the investigative inquiry is not to determine whether the defendant has the present ability to pay extradition restitution in a general sense. Rather, the second sentence of NRS 179.225(2) narrows COURT OF APPEALS OF NEVADA 6 f()) 1947ll the scope of that inquiry to require only an investigation into the defendant's ability to pay existing obligations within the three categories listed in NRS 179.225(2)(a)-(c): child support, victim restitution, and administrative assessment's.. This limited investigatory purpose is further supported by the text of NRS 179.225(3), which mandates two alternative 'outcomes, depending on the defendant's ability to pay for the specific'obligations listed' in subsection 2. If the court determines that the defendant is "financially able to pay the obligations described in subsection 2," then extradition restitution "shall" be ordered. See Thomas, 88 Nev. at 384, 498 P.2d at 1315. On the oth.er hand, the court "shall not" order the defendant to pay extradition restitution "if payment of restitution will prevent th.e person from paying" the existing obligations listed i.n subsection 2. NRS .179.225(3). Because the consequences set forth in subsection 3 relate only to the defendant's ability to pay for the three categories of obligations listed in subsection 2, it follows that the scope of the court's investigative inquiry in extradition restitution cases is limited to ascertaining the defendant's ability to pay, fbr the enumerated obligations. See City of Henderson v. Amado, 133 Nev. 257, 259, 396 P.3d. 798, 800. (2017) (explaining that appellate courts construe statutes "as a whole," while readi.ng statutes "in a manner that makes the words and phrases essential and the provisions consequential"); see also K Mart Corp. v. Cartier, Inc., 486 U.S. 281, 291 (1988) ("In ascertaining the plain meaning of the statute, the court must look to the particular statutory language at issue, as well as the language and design of the statute as a whole."). COURT OF APPEALS OF NEVADA 7 (01 1947U 42*-> Alth.ough the plain language of NRS 179.225(2) is not ambiguous, .and th.us i.t is not necessary to resort to 'legislative history, we nevertheless note that -the legislative history supports our construction of• the statute. See Gilman v. Clark Cty. Sch. Dist., 139 Nev., Adv. Op. [7], 527 P.3d 624, 629 (Ct. App. 2023). When. NRS 1.79.225(2) was enacted, the Legislature intended the obligations listed in NRS 179.225(2) to be prioritized over extradition restitution in this situation. Hearing on A.B. [4].65 Before the S. Judiciary Comm., 67th Leg. (Nev., May 14, 1993).3 The legislative history of NRS 179.225 indicates that the purpose of the statute was to ensure that existing obligations for child support, victim restitution, and administrative assessments were paid; this further comports with the plain language of N.RS 179.225(3), which exclusively concerns the payment of existing obligations and prohibits the district court outright from :imposing extradition restitution if doing so would prevent the satisfaction. of those obligations. Therefore, when conducting an investigation under NRS 179.225(2), the district court is required to ascertain whether the defendant has any existing obligations listed in. NRS 179.225(2)(a)-(c) and, .if so, • determine if the imposition of extradition restitution would. impact the defendant's ability to satisfy those obligations. The court is not required to (()) 1447H ADP .
[*15]psychosexual evaluation cost be waived in every circumstance where there h.as been a finding of indigency, Bolden's timely objection, coupled with evidence of his indigent status, was sufficient to require the district court to evaluate the psychosexualevaluation cost in relation to Bolden's ability to. pay in whole or in part and make findings on the record.. Becanse the district court made no findings as to Bolden's ability to pay.the psychosexual evaluation Cost before it imposed the cost in full, we conclude that the district court abused its discretion. On remand, we direct the district court to consider Bolden's ability to pay for the psychosexual evaluation and make findings on the record. In doing so, we remind the court that it shall impose such cost only "to the extent of the defendant's financial ability{ ] to pay" it. NHS. 176.139(7). CONCLUSION We conclude that NRS 1.79.225(2) requires the district court to undertake an investigative inquiry prior to imposing extradition restitution. In this case, the district court abused its discretion by imposing the extradition restitution without first determining whether Bolden had the ability to pay any existing obligations for child support, victim restitution, or administrative assessments. As a result, the court could not determine whether imposing restitution was mandatory or prohibited under NRS 1.79.225(3). Further, while the district court is not required to undertake a similar investigative :inquiry before imposing the cost of a psychosexual evaluation under NRS 176.139(7), the court is statutorily required to impose the cost only to the extent of the defendant's ability to pay. Bolden timely objected. on the basis of his inability to pay, which was supported by evidence in the record, and the district court abused its discretion by imposing the full cost without first evaluating :Bolden's ability to pay a.nd COURT OF APPEALS OF NEvADA 16 (0) I947B 4401D
mak.ing findings• on the record. Accordingly, we affirm the judgment of conviction, but we vacate Bold.en's sentence as to extradition restitution and the cost of the psychosexu.al. evaluation. and remand to th.e district court for resentencing.m.
Westbrook
We concur: