City of Spokane v. Marquette

— Del Donnie Marquette pleaded guilty to reckless driving in Spokane Municipal Court, in violation of Spokane Municipal Code (SMC) 16.61.500. The court suspended Marquette’s jail sentence and placed him on probation. Courts of limited jurisdiction retain subject matter jurisdiction to defer or suspend a sentence for two years after a conviction. Marquette repeatedly violated the terms of probation, and eventually the court imposed the jail sentence, but not until more than two years had elapsed from the date of his conviction. Marquette therefore contends that the municipal court’s…