State v. Douglas , 2014 Ohio 317 ( 2014 )


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  • [Cite as State v. Douglas, 
    2014-Ohio-317
    .]
    IN THE COURT OF APPEALS OF OHIO
    TENTH APPELLATE DISTRICT
    State of Ohio,                                    :
    Plaintiff-Appellee,              :         No. 13AP-570
    (C.P.C. No. 13EP-130)
    v.                                               :
    (REGULAR CALENDAR)
    Justin Douglas,                                   :
    Defendant-Appellant.             :
    D E C I S I O N
    Rendered on January 30, 2014
    Ron O'Brien, Prosecuting Attorney, and Barbara A.
    Farnbacher, for appellee.
    Richard A. Cline & Co., LLC, and Richard A. Cline for
    appellant.
    APPEAL from the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas.
    McCORMAC, J.
    {¶1}     Defendant-appellant, Justin Douglas, appeals from an entry of the
    Franklin County Court of Common Pleas that withdrew appellant's application for an
    order sealing the record of conviction. For the following reasons, we sua sponte dismiss
    his appeal.
    {¶2}     In 2003, appellant was indicted on two counts of sexual battery, felonies of
    the third degree. Appellant pleaded guilty to two counts of assault arising out of the
    same incident, misdemeanors of the first degree. In February 2013, appellant filed an
    application to seal the record of conviction pursuant to R.C. 2953.32. The State of Ohio,
    No. 13AP-570                                                                                2
    plaintiff-appellee, objected and, after a hearing, the trial court entered an entry that the
    application was withdrawn at appellant's request and that the filing fees should be
    returned to appellant. Appellant filed a motion to reconsider and vacate the ruling and
    grant his application to seal the record. The trial court did not rule on the motion to
    reconsider.
    {¶3}   Appellant filed an appeal from the entry withdrawing his application to
    seal the record of conviction and raised the following assignment of error:
    The trial court abused its discretion by basing its denial of
    Mr. Douglas's application for expungement solely on the
    nature of the offense.
    {¶4}   By his assignment of error, appellant contends that the trial court abused
    its discretion by basing its denial of his application for expungement solely on the nature
    of the offense. However, the trial court did not deny his application for expungement
    but, rather, the trial court dismissed his application. Both appellant and the state argue
    that the dismissal is, in effect, a denial of the application.
    {¶5}   "The sealing of a criminal record, also known as expungement, see State v.
    Pariag, [
    137 Ohio St.3d 81
    , 
    2013-Ohio-4010
    ], ¶ 11, is an 'act of grace created by the
    state.' State v. Hamilton, 
    75 Ohio St.3d 636
    , 639 * * * (1996). It should be granted only
    when all requirements for eligibility are met, because it is a 'privilege, not a right.' State
    v. Futrall, 
    123 Ohio St.3d 498
    , 
    2009-Ohio-5590
     * * * ¶ 6." State v. Boykin, ___ Ohio
    St.3d ___, 
    2013-Ohio-4582
    , ¶ 11. " 'It is axiomatic that a court speaks only through its
    journal entries, and not through mere oral pronouncements.' " State v. Huddleston,
    10th Dist. No. 12AP-512, 
    2013-Ohio-2561
    , ¶ 7, quoting In re P.S., 10th Dist. No. 07AP-
    516, 2007-Ohio 6644, ¶ 12.        Here, the trial court entry states the application was
    withdrawn, not that it was denied.
    {¶6}   This entry is similar to a dismissal without prejudice. An involuntary
    dismissal without prejudice is typically not a final, appealable order.             White v.
    Unknown, 10th Dist. No. 09AP-1120, 
    2010-Ohio-3031
    , ¶ 6. Generally, "a dismissal
    'otherwise than on the merits' does not prevent a party from refiling and, therefore,
    ordinarily, such a dismissal is not a final, appealable order." Natl. City Commercial
    Capital Corp. v. AAAA at Your Serv., Inc., 
    114 Ohio St.3d 82
    , 
    2007-Ohio-2942
    , ¶ 8. An
    application for expungement that is withdrawn constitutes a dismissal "otherwise than
    No. 13AP-570                                                                          3
    on the merits" and does not prevent refiling. Thus, appellant can refile his application
    for expungement.
    {¶7}   Since the application for expungement was withdrawn and not denied, we
    sua sponte dismiss appellant's appeal.
    Appeal dismissed.
    TYACK and DORRIAN, JJ., concur.
    McCORMAC, J., retired of the Tenth Appellate District,
    assigned to active duty under authority of the Ohio
    Constitution, Article IV, Section 6(C).
    ___________________
    

Document Info

Docket Number: 13AP-570

Citation Numbers: 2014 Ohio 317

Judges: McCormac

Filed Date: 1/30/2014

Precedential Status: Precedential

Modified Date: 10/30/2014