Supreme Court of New Jersey, 1929

Bowley v. McFadden

Bowley v. McFadden
Supreme Court of New Jersey · Decided July 5, 1929 · Bodine
7 N.J. Misc. 646; 146 A. 788; 1929 N.J. Sup. Ct. LEXIS 186

Bowley v. McFadden

Opinion of the Court

The opinion of the court was delivered by

Bodine, J.

The petitioner was arrested on November 10th, 1928, for a violation of the Motor Yehicle act. He appeared in court before J. Leedom Smith, a justice of the peace, on November 12th, 19.28, but no action whatever was taken. On November 16th, 1928, in the absence of petitioner, a plea of guilty was entered by the justice of the peace and a fine of $200 and costs was imposed. The conviction must be set aside for the reason that a plea of guilty must be interposed by the defendant charged with crime. It cannot be entered in a defendant’s absence.

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