State v. Noyes
State v. Noyes
Opinion of the Court
A complaint was filed against the appellant herein before Tim Driscoll, a justice of the peace of South Payette precinct, Canyon county, charging the defendant with the theft of a pulley and fly-wheel from the
We are not without authority, however, on this' question. In State v. Shropshire, 4 Neb. 411, the supreme court of Nebraska was considering an application for a writ of mandate to compel a justice of the peace of the city of Omaha to maintain his office and hold his court within his precinct. The court granted the writ, but in the course of the consideration of the’question, it was said:
‘ ‘ The question' presented for consideration is: Can a justice of the peace hold his office and exercise the functions thereof outside of the precinct in and for which he was elected and qualified? It is not a question as to the jurisdiction- of a justice of the peace, but one in regard to the situs of his office, or his duty in respect to the place where he shall hold his office and exercise its functions.”
This case was cited with approval by the same court in Jones v. The Church of the Holy Trinity, 15 Neb. 81, 17 N. W. 362, wherein the court was considering the question presented in this case, except that that was a civil rather than a criminal case. We quote the following from that opinion:
“The justice of the peace, although appointed for Capitol precinct, where he ought to have held his office, had jurisdiction coextensive with the limits of Lancaster county, which necessarily covered Midland precinct, and but for the policy of the law respecting the convenience of suitors, witnesses, and others having business with him, could doubtless perform his official duties anywhere therein. The holding of his office*247 or place of business within the particular precinct for which the justice is elected or appointed, so long as he keeps within the county, is not a matter respecting his jurisdiction, but one of policy and convenience merely, which those interested therein may disregard. If the jurisdiction of a justice of the peace were confined to the particular precinct for which he is elected, it would doubtless be otherwise.”
In Rogers v. Loop, 51 Iowa, 41, 50 N. W. 224, the supreme court of Iowa was considering the validity of a judgment entered by a justice of the peace where the trial had taken place and the judgment had been entered beyond the territorial limits of his precinct. In that case the action was pending before one G-. Jaqua, a justice of the peace of Buckingham Township, and it was stipulated and agreed between the parties that the ease might be tried at Traer, in Perry Township, and within the same county. The trial accordingly took place at Traer and the judgment was there entered. The court in considering and passing upon the question of jurisdiction, said:
“It may be admitted that the locus of the forum of a justice of the peace is the township of his residence or office within the township. But this is not a matter affecting or limiting his jurisdiction to try and determine actions. It is rather a provision directing the manner of the exercise of jurisdiction, and we know of no reason why the parties may not, for their own convenience, and the convenience of the witnesses, or for any other cause which may move them thereto, stipulate that the trial may be had at some place other than the residence or office of the justice. If that place should be over the township line, we cannot see why the stipulation should be held illegal and the proceeding void. We have been cited to no authority holding a doctrine contrary to these views, and certainly there is nothing in our statutes which precludes the adoption of the rule' we here announce. It is notorious that justices of the peace rarely have offices which are sufficient to accommodate the parties, jurors, witnesses, and others, who attend trials before them, and, by consent of the parties, they usually hold their trials at places*248 other than where their dockets and papers are kept. Now, it seems to us, if in repairing to some other place for trial, to accommodate the parties, it should happen that a trial was held in another township than that of the justice’s residence, it would be most unreasonable to hold that all the proceedings were void.”
Counsel for appellant place great reliance on the case of People v. Du Rell, 1 Ida. 44, wherein the territorial supreme court said:
“In a criminal ease, the party does not waive any rights by not insisting upon them, and if the court had no jurisdiction by law to try the case, it is not cured by the party failing to claim his right to be dismissed.”
It will be seen at once that the Du Rell case is not in point here. There the court that had tried the defendant and from which the judgment came, had no criminal jurisdiction. The real question, therefore, involved in that case was one as to whether or not the parties could by consent and stipulation confer jurisdiction on a court over a ease that did not fall within the jurisdiction of such court. In other words, could the state and the defendant stipulate to confer criminal jurisdiction on a court that was without such jurisdiction? The court said no.
We conclude, that under the provisions of our statute and the foregoing authorities, the trial of this case by the justice of the peace at a place beyond the limits of his precinct was at most an irregularity that might be waived by the parties, and that it did not go to the jurisdiction of the court.
The next question presented on this appeal is that of the insufficiency of the evidence to show a criminal intent. The taking of the property was admitted by the defendant, and it was also admitted that the property did not belong to him. He contended, however, that he took the property under the belief and apprehension that he had been authorized to do so by the owner of the property. On this element of the offense there was a conflict in the evidence. If the jury had believed the defendant’s evidence, they would have undoubtedly acquitted him. On the other hand, there was sufficient.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- STATE v. J. M. NOYES
- Status
- Published
- Syllabus
- Jurisdiction of Justices’ Courts — Place of Trial by Justice— Waiver — Sufficiency of Evidence. 1. The criminal jurisdiction of a justice of the peace extends throughout the county in which he is elected or appointed, but he is required to reside and exereise his jurisdiction within his precinct, and the trial by him of a ease at a place beyond the limits of Ms preeinet is a matter rather of procedure or of the manner and form of exercising Ms jurisdiction than one of absolute jurisdiction itself, and is at most an irregularity in procedure that may be waived by consent and agreement of the parties. 2. Where a complaint was filed against the defendant in South Payette precinct and a warrant of arrest was issued and he was apprehended and taken before the justice of the peace, and thereafter stipulated and agreed with the county attorney that the justice might hold his court and try the ease at a point outside of his preeinet and in North Payette preeinet; Beld, that the irregularity was merely one as to the manner of exercising the jurisdiction, and did not of itself oust the justice of Ms jurisdiction of the person of the defendant or of the offense charged, and that on appeal he is not entitled to his discharge for such irregularity. 3. Evidence in this case examined and considered, and held sufficient to justify the jury in finding and concluding that the defendant took the property charged to have been stolen with criminal intent. (Syllabus by the court.)