Error and/or relief
Although the trial court did not orally impose any fines or fees at sentencing, the minute order and abstract of judgment include a $300 restitution fine, a $300 parole revocation fine, a $40 court operations assessment, and a $30 criminal conviction assessment. The abstract of judgment and the minute order must be corrected to reflect the oral pronouncement of judgment.
First Holding:
The oral imposition of sentence constitutes the judgment in an action, and the minutes and abstract of judgment cannot add anything substantive to the oral pronouncement. The oral pronouncement controls if there is a discrepancy, and the court clerk lacks the authority to add fines or fees not imposed by the trial court. If the clerk includes fines or fees in the minute order or abstract of judgment that were not orally imposed, those fines and/or fees must be stricken from the minute order and abstract.
Authority:
People v. Mitchell (2001) 26 Cal.4th 181, 185
People v. Zackery (2007) 147 Cal.App.4th 380, 385, 387-389, 385-390
People v. Rowland (1988) 206 Cal.App.3d 119, 124
Second Holding:
A restitution fine under section 1202.4 need not be imposed if the trial court finds compelling and extraordinary reasons for not doing so, and states those reasons on the record. Thus, a restitution fine under section 1202.4 is a discretionary sentencing choice. A corresponding parole revocation fine is mandatory only if a restitution fine is imposed. Although the People argue the judgment should be modified to include the omitted fines, they did not object to the omission at sentencing.
Authority:
PEN 1202.4(b)
People v. Tillman (2000) 22 Cal.4th 300, 302, 303
People v. Smith (2001) 24 Cal.4th 849, 853
Third Holding:
The court operations assessment and criminal conviction assessment are both mandatory, and we may address such an omission because the failure to impose them results in an unlawful sentence. The judgment is modified to impose a $40 court operations assessment and a $30 criminal conviction assessment. The trial court is directed to correct the sentencing minute order and abstract of judgment to omit the $300 restitution fine and the $300 parole revocation fine, and to forward a certified copy of the corrected abstract of judgment to the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.
Authority:
PEN 1465.8
GOV 70373
People v. Smith (2001) 24 Cal.4th 849, 853