Skip to main content

Interstate Commissioner for Audlt Offender Supervision (ICAOS) Logo

Bench Book - 4.7.3.2 Probable Cause Hearings when Violations Occurred in another State

Where the retaking of a supervised individual may result in revocation of conditional release by the sending state, the individual is entitled to the basic due process considerations that are the foundation of the Supreme Court’s decisions in Morrissey and Gagnon, and the rules of the Commission. Rule 5.108(a) provides, in part, that:

A supervised individual subject to retaking that may result in revocation shall be afforded the opportunity for a probable cause hearing before a neutral and detached hearing officer in or reasonably near the place where the alleged violation occurred. (Emphasis added)

Second, a supervised individual must be afforded a probable cause hearing where retaking is for other than the commission of a new criminal offense and revocation of conditional release by the sending state is likely. The purpose of the hearing is twofold: (1) to test the sufficiency and evidence of the alleged violations, and (2) to make a record for the sending state to use in subsequent revocation proceedings. One of the immediate concerns in Gagnon and Morrissey was geographical proximity to the location of the supervised individual’s alleged violations of supervision. Presumably, hearings on violations that occurred in a receiving state that was geographically proximate to the sending state could be handled in the sending state if witnesses and evidence were readily available to the supervised individual. See Fisher v. Crist, 594 P.2d 1140 (Mont. 1979); State v. Maglio, 459 A.2d 1209 (N.J. Super. Ct. 1979) (when the sentencing state is a great distance from the supervising state, a supervised individual can request a hearing to determine if a prima facie case of probation violation has been made out; hearing will save defendant the inconvenience of returning to that state if there is absolutely no merit to the claim that a violation of probation occurred). Consistent with Gagnon and Morrissey, Rule 5.108 (a) provides that a supervised individual shall be afforded the opportunity for a probable cause hearing before a neutral and detached hearing officer in or reasonably near the place where the alleged violation occurred. While a judge is not required to preside over such hearings, it is essential to conduct these proceedings in a manner that upholds the due process requirements established by U.S. Supreme Court rulings. A supervised individual’s due process rights are violated if a witness against them is permitted to testify through another person without proper identification, verification, and confrontation, e.g., with a complete lack of demonstrating good cause for not calling the real witness. See State v. Phillips, 126 P.3d 546 (N.M. 2005).

PRACTICE NOTE: If there is any uncertainty about whether the sending state intends to revoke a supervised individual’s conditional release based on violations in the receiving state, the individual should be granted a probable cause hearing in accordance with Rule 5.108. This process ensures that a proper record is established, and the individual’s due process rights are upheld. Failure to conduct such a hearing may prevent the consideration of these violations in future revocation proceedings in the sending state.

References

Definitions

Click terms below to reveal definitions used in this rule.

Probable Cause Hearing – a hearing in compliance with the decisions of the U.S. Supreme Court, conducted on behalf of a supervised individual accused of violating the terms or conditions of the supervised individual‘s parole or probation.

Retaking - means the act of a sending state physically removing or causing to have a supervised individual removed, from a receiving state.