Teets v. Superior Court
Teets v. Superior Court
Opinion of the Court
This is a petition by the attorney general for a writ of prohibition to restrain the respondent superior court from entertaining a proceeding in habeas corpus sought by Lawrence Gene Dotson, the real party in interest, pending his appeal from a judgment of conviction of first degree murder, burglary and robbery.
The factual background and events resulting in Dotson’s conviction are set forth in the opinion of this court in People v. Dotson, 46 Cal.2d 891 [299 P.2d 875], As to the present proceeding in prohibition it appears that on October 27,
All of the contentions urged in the habeas corpus proceeding were assigned as grounds for reversal on the appeal in the criminal case and have now been decided adversely to the appellant therein who is the petitioner in the habeas corpus proceeding. The attorney general contends that further proceedings on the petition in the superior court for the writ of habeas corpus should be stayed for the reason that such a proceeding may not be employed as an alternative to the pending appeal, and that such is the purpose of that proceeding. (See In re McInturff, 37 Cal.2d 876, 880 [236 P.2d 574] ; In re Seeley, 29 Cal.2d 294, 296 [176 P.2d 24] ; In re Connor, 16 Cal.2d 701 [108 P.2d 10] ; France v. Superior Court, 201 Cal. 122, 131 [255 P. 815, 52 A.L.R. 869] ; In re Gutierrez, 1 Cal.App.2d 281 [36 P.2d 712].)
It is obvious that the question raised by the attorney general became moot upon the determination of the appeal by this court in the criminal action. It is also true that the contentions advanced by the petitioner in habeas corpus have been determined by this court on the appeal from the judgment of conviction. It would therefore serve no useful purpose to continue the prosecution of either the habeas corpus proceeding or the proceeding in prohibition. However, if the trial court should assume, under these circumstances, to discharge the petitioner in the habeas corpus proceeding its order would be subject to appeal by the People as provided in section 1506 of the Penal Code.
The present proceeding in prohibition is dismissed.
Gibson, C. J., Carter, J., Traynor, J., Schauer, J., Spence, J., and McComb, J., concurred.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- HARLEY O. TEETS, as Warden, etc. v. THE SUPERIOR COURT OF MARIN COUNTY, Respondents LAWRENCE GENE DOTSON, Real Party in Interest
- Status
- Published