State ex rel. City of Indianapolis v. Criminal Court
State ex rel. City of Indianapolis v. Criminal Court
Opinion of the Court
Relator herein asks that the respondent be prohibited from assuming jurisdiction in the cause of City of Indianapolis vs. Arthur Douglas, No. C-R 20133Y on appeal from the Municipal Court of Marion County, Room No. 6, in which cause the defendant was found guilty of violating a municipal traffic ordinance of the City of Indianapolis and a fine imposed.
The basic statute which controls the matter of appeals from the Municipal Court of Marion County provides in part:
“. . . Appeals from judgments for violation of ordinances of cities, towns, or other municipalities .shall be taken only to the circuit court of said county. . . .” §4-2511, Burns’ 1946 Repl. [Acts 1945, ch. 296, §1, p. 1287.]
Upon cursory examination of the statute, it would seem that the issue is resolved by the express language which directs that ordinance violation appeals be taken to the circuit court. However, it is asserted by respondent that, on the basis of the recent Appellate Court opinion in Biedinger v. City of East Chicago (1958), 129 Ind. App. 42, 154 N. E. 2d 58, and upon the language of §9-721, Burns’ 1956 Repl. [Acts 1945, ch. 234, §1, p. 1081], appeals from city ordinances which are criminal in nature and are tried in the Municipal Court of Marion County, must be appealed to the Criminal Court of Marion County, and not to the Circuit Court thereof.
In the Biedinger case, supra, it was necessary for the Appellate Court to determine whether the city ordinance case involved therein was civil or criminal in nature, since the several statutes which control procedure and appeals from that court distinguish between civil and criminal cases. Section 4-2702 and §9-721, supra. Thus the civil-criminal dichotomy of these statutes becomes crucial in disposing of an ordinance appeal
The situation is quite different in regard to the Municipal Court of Marion County. Here the statute which relates specially to said court, expressly provides for the appeal of civil cases to the Appellate Court, the appeal of criminal cases to the Criminal Court and the appeal of municipal ordinance cases to the Circuit Court. Sections 4-2510, 4-2511, Burns’ 1946 Repl. Thus, here the distinction between civil actions and criminal prosecutions under a city ordinance is not pertinent to a decision in this case. Rather we are here governed by the statute, which directs that criminal appeals be taken to the criminal court of the county,
,We conclude therefore that the respondent is without jurisdiction to consider the appeal in the case of City of Indianapolis vs. Arthur Douglas, Cause No. C-R 20133Y in the Municipal Court of Marion County, Room No. 6, and that appeal in said cause must be had to the Circuit Court of Marion County.
The petition for writ of prohibition as herein prayed is granted, and the writ is ordered issued.
Note. — Reported in 162 N. E. 2d 83.
. See State ex rel. Bartley v. Marion C. C. (1956), 235 Ind. 226, 132 N. E. 2d 703.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- State ex rel. City of Indianapolis v. Criminal Court of Marion County, Salb, Judge, etc.
- Status
- Published