People v. Ramos Avilés
People v. Ramos Avilés
Opinion of the Court
delivered the opinion of the court.
Valentin Ramos Aviles appealed from a judgment oí conviction rendered against him in a criminal case and petitioned the court that the stenographer be ordered to prepare the transcript of the evidence for the purpose of the appeal and that the appellant be declared an indigent person not required to pay the stenographer’s fees. With that petition he exhibited his own affidavit wherein he stated that he had appealed from the judgment that sentenced him to two years’ imprisonment in the penitentiary for a violation of section 407 of the Penal Code (arson), and that owing to his insolvency he was not in a position to pay for the transcript of the evidence to be used in connection with his appeal. He also presented two affidavits from other persons, stating that the appellant was insolvent and lacked the necessary means and sufficient income to pay to the stenographer for the transcript of the evidence necessary for his appeal; that he had a wife and five small children, and that he was engaged in the sale of chickens and other dealings of a similar character, having to support his family with the profits obtained from such work. The court ordered that the said petition be served on the stenographer 'in case the latter desired to object thereto. Subsequently, without any showing from the record that the stenographer presented evidence to contradict said affidavits, the court decided as follows: “Or
Section 356 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, as amended by Act No. 4 of April 18, 1925, authorizes a defendant who has been convicted and appeals from the judgment rendered, to cause the transcript of the evidence necessary for his appeal to be prepared by the court stenographer, and provides that when the defendant-appellant shall have proved his insolvency to the court, it will be the duty of said. court to order the stenographer to prepare and file the transcript, free of charge.
The order from which this appeal was taken does not deny that the appellant is insolvent and that he is consequently unable to pay to the stenographer the fees that the law authorizes the latter to charge for the transcript of the evidence. The only affidavits that the court had before it in order to decide the petition to litigate m forma pauperis, were not impeached. The refusal to allow the defendant to
The order appealed from will be reversed and another entered instead declaring that the appellant is insolvent and is entitled to obtain from the stenographer the transcript of the evidence, free of charge.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.