SEARCH

Pless v. State

The trial court was not authorized to require the defendant to reimburse the county for his court-appointed attorney's fees.

Thank you for sharing!

Your article was successfully shared with the contacts you provided.

Following a jury trial, Christopher Pless appeals his conviction on three counts of violating county animal-control ordinances two counts of failing to restrain his pit bull dogs and one count of allowing his dogs to become a public nuisance. He challenges the sufficiency of the evidence, questions the constitutionality of the county ordinance, and argues that the trial court erred in its rulings on evidence and on sentencing and further erred in finding he received effective assistance of counsel. For the reasons set forth below, we affirm in part and reverse in part. 1. When reviewing a defendant’s challenge to the sufficiency of the evidence, we view the evidence in the light most favorable to the jury’s verdict, and the defendant no longer enjoys the presumption of innocence. Short v. State .1 We do not weigh the evidence or determine witness credibility, but only determine if the evidence was sufficient for a rational trier of fact to find the defendant guilty of the charged offense beyond a reasonable doubt. Jackson v. Virginia .2

So construed, the evidence shows that in February 2004, in April 2004, and on several other occasions in this time frame, one or more of Pless’s five pit bull dogs were running unrestrained and loose in neighbors’ yards and garages. They frightened children and adults and barked aggressively. In addition to these repeated events, on July 14, 2004, two of these dogs ran unrestrained onto a neighbor’s property, acting aggressively and not allowing the neighbor to exit her porch. Furthermore, on August 1, 2004, two of these dogs ran unrestrained onto that same neighbor’s property, chasing and frightening the neighbor’s horses. Witnesses testified that to their knowledge, on none of these occasions had any outsider gone onto Pless’s property and set the animals free.

More From ALM

Premium Subscription

With this subscription you will receive unlimited access to high quality, online, on-demand premium content from well-respected faculty in the legal industry. This is perfect for attorneys licensed in multiple jurisdictions or for attorneys that have fulfilled their CLE requirement but need to access resourceful information for their practice areas.
View Now

Our Team Account subscription service is for legal teams of four or more attorneys. Each attorney is granted unlimited access to high quality, on-demand premium content from well-respected faculty in the legal industry along with administrative access to easily manage CLE for the entire team.
View Now

Bundle Subscriptions

Gain access to some of the most knowledgeable and experienced attorneys with our 2 bundle options! Our Compliance bundles are curated by CLE Counselors and include current legal topics and challenges within the industry. Our second option allows you to build your bundle and strategically select the content that pertains to your needs. Both options are priced the same.
View Now

From Data to Decisions

Dynamically explore and compare data on law firms, companies, individual lawyers, and industry trends.

Exclusive Depth and Reach.

Law.com Compass includes access to our exclusive industry reports, combining the unmatched expertise of our analyst team with ALM’s deep bench of proprietary information to provide insights that can’t be found anywhere else.

Big Pictures and Fine Details

Law.com Compass delivers you the full scope of information, from the rankings of the Am Law 200 and NLJ 500 to intricate details and comparisons of firms’ financials, staffing, clients, news and events.

New York Legal Awards 2024

September 05, 2024
New York, NY

The New York Law Journal honors attorneys and judges who have made a remarkable difference in the legal profession in New York.

Learn More

African Legal Awards 2024

September 06, 2024
Johannesburg

The African Legal Awards recognise exceptional achievement within Africa s legal community during a period of rapid change.

Learn More

Consulting Best Firms to Work For 2024

September 12, 2024
New York, NY

Consulting Magazine identifies the best firms to work for in the consulting profession.

Learn More

Marketing Coordinator / Business Development

JOB DESCRIPTION SUMMARY Pulsar Title Insurance Company Inc., a commercial and residential title insurance underwriter based in the Bato...

Apply Now ›

Juvenile Dependency Attorney II/III/IV

RECRUITMENT BONUS Newly hired employees from this recruitment may be eligible to receive bonus payments up to $3,000!* FLEXIBLE SCHEDULE: ...

Apply Now ›

Litigation Counsel - Multiple Offices

Morristown, NJ; New York, NY Description: Fox Rothschild has an opening in multiple offices for a Counsel in our Litigation Department. The ...

Apply Now ›

Lawyers of Distinction

06/27/2024
The American Lawyer

Professional Announcement

View Announcement ›

06/21/2024
Daily Business Review

Full Page Announcement

View Announcement ›