Cochise County v. Johnston
Cochise County v. Johnston
Opinion of the Court
The appellee, Charles G. Johnston, sued the county of Coehise to recover the amount of an account
Paragraph 1967 of the Revised Statutes of Arizona provides: “The fees of the court commissioner are as follows: For each day employed, $4.00; for each order, $.50.” Paragraph 577 of chapter 13 of title XIII, relating to counties and the salaries and fees of county officers, says: “No fee or compensation of any kind must be charged or received by any officer for duties performed or services rendered in proceedings upon habeas corpus.” Appellant contends that, under that provision, the court commissioner of the district court is not entitled to any fee or compensation of any kind in proceedings upon habeas corpus. It is the opinion of this court that such provision relates to county officers alone. The court commissioner is not such a county officer as to come within the provisions of that statute. He is appointed under the provisions of paragraph 647 of the Revised Statutes of Arizona, which is as follows: ‘ ‘ The judges of the several judicial district courts of this territory may appoint one commissioner in each county where such judge is authorized to hold a session of the district eourt, which commissioner shall reside at the county-seat of the county for which they are appointed. Such commissioners shall have the power of the district judge at chambers, as to all business cognizable in their county, arising on a question of habeas corpus, and all orders, writs,, and injunctions, except that he shall not make any final determination except on writs of habeas corpus; they may also on request of the district attorney of their county, issue a venire for grand and trial jurors, and may also in the absence of the judge, and under his direction, communicated by telegraph or otherwise, open and adjourn any term of court the same as the judge might do if personally present.” He stands in the place of the judge, to act in his absence. He is a district eourt officer, and the fees prescribed by paragraph 1967 provide for his compensation in cases of habeas corpus, the same as in
Street, O. J., Doan, J., and Sloan, J., concur.
Davis, J., not sitting in the case, having been trial judge in the court from which the appeal was taken.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- COCHISE COUNTY, and v. CHARLES G. JOHNSTON, and
- Status
- Published