Smith v. Board of Liquor Control
Smith v. Board of Liquor Control
Opinion of the Court
OPINION
August and Lenora Smith are holders of Classes D-l and D-2 permits issued by the Ohio Department of Liquor Control authorizing them to sell beer, malt beverages, wine and mixed drinks. They operate Smittie’s Corners located in Venice, Erie County, Ohio.
Agents of the Department of Liquor Control charged them with selling intoxicating liquor to wit, a case of beer to a fifteen year old minor, Donald B. Wilbur. The case was heard by the Board of Liquor Control upon evidence submitted by both sides and the Smiths were found guilty and their permits revoked.
The Smiths appealed to the Common Pleas Court of Franklin
“It is hereby stipulated and agreed by and between counsel for the Appellant and Appellee herein that the transcript of the proceedings and testimony taken before the Board of Liquor Control, the original papers in the case and the docket entries shall be and constitute a sufficient bill of exceptions herein.”
They have also filed a brief and assignment of errors at the back of which is a two page affidavit of one of the defense witnesses seeking to correct an alleged mistake in the stenographic transcript of his testimony.
The question pending before the court at this time arises under a motion to strike appellants’ brief on behalf of the Board of Liquor Control which reads as follows:
“Now comes the appellee, Board of Liquor Control, and moves this Court for an order to strike the appellants’ brief for the reason that they have attempted to insert evidence into the record by means of brief filed herein.”
The Attorney General in support of his motion cites the case of Tipton, Admx. v. Day, 106 Oh Ap 103, decided by this court January 28, 1958. The second branch of the syllabus in this case held in effect that evidence may not be inserted into a record by means of a brief.
In opposition to this motion counsel for the Smiths relied upon §2321.14 R. C., which provides as follows:
“When justice requires it, upon notice to all parties, an omission in a bill of exceptions, occurring through accident or error, may be corrected by the reviewing court, or it may be remanded to the trial court for such correction.”
Reliance also is placed upon the case of Trumpler, Admr., et al. v. Royer et al, 18 Oh Ap 151, in which the first branch of the syllabus reads as follows:
“Sec. 11572a GC, 103 O. L. 405, making provision for amendments to bills of exceptions, is a remedial statute which is to be liberally construed, and a bill of exceptions may be amended by striking therefrom an incorrect statement and substituting therefor a true and correct statement.”
We are completely in agreement with the holding in that case particularly in light of the more recent holding by the Supreme Court of Ohio in The State, ex rel. Piletich v. Kovachy et al, Judges, 166 Oh St 298, decided on April 24, 1957. In a per curiam opinion the court at page 299 made the following statement:
“The statute is remedial in nature and must be liberally construed. The Court of Appeals was acting within the jurisdiction invested in it by that statute in remanding the bill of exceptions to the trial court. Whether error intervened in the exercise of that jurisdiction is not determinable in a proceeding in prohibition, the relatrix having an adequate remedy by way of appeal.”
The motion will therefore be sustained and if there be no disagreement between the parties as to the facts, the proper application may be filed and a single entry prepared authorizing amendments at bar by interlineation.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.