People V Smith Case Analysis

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In order to highlight all aspects of People v. Smith, 470 NW2d 70, Michigan Supreme Court (1991) we must first discuss the initial findings of the Michigan Court of Appeals. The Court of Appeals decision was based on the precedence of two similar court cases that created discussion concerning the admission of juvenile records into adult trials. Following the Court of Appeals, the Michigan Supreme Court entered the final decision on Ricky Smith’s motion for resentencing. The Michigan Supreme Court also conducted a thorough examination of People v. Jones, People v. McFarlin, and People v. Price to determine the outcome of Smith’s motion to be resentenced. Defendant Ricky Franklin Smith was charged in Michigan Trial Court with breaking and entering …show more content…

The appeal was filed based on the fact that Smith’s presentence investigation report(PSIR) revealed that he had an extensive juvenile record which included a history of at least twelve offenses. Smith argued that he was entitled to resentencing under MCR 5.913, rewritten as MCR 5.925(E). The information in the PSIR was supposed to be automatically expunged pursuant to former MCR 5.913(People v. Smith, 2016). The Court of Appeals considered two panels of discussion before deciding in favor of the …show more content…

The Supreme Court referenced both People v Jones and People v Price, with the addition of People v. McFarlin, 389 Mich 557; 208 NW2d 504 (1973). People v McFarlin concluded that, “the presentence report should include information concerning juvenile history, including a disposition by a juvenile court, and that it is proper to consider this information as a factor in sentencing an adult offender”(People v. Smith, 2016). Additionally, the McFarlin case assured that a judge should have all relevant information about the defendant’s juvenile history to impose a proper sentence. The information included may reveal a pattern of criminal history and resistance to rehabilitation efforts in the defendant’s juvenile

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