State v. Boise
State v. Boise
Opinion of the Court
Curia, per
The rale in England in regard to the joinder of offences is, that a felony cannot be joined with a misdemeanor, in the same indictment, The reason which is assigned for this, that the defendant would thereby lose the benefit of having a copy of the indictment, a special jury, and of making his full defence by counsel, has no application at all in this country ; on the contrary, the defendant wmulcl gain by being indicted for felony, as he would have the right of challenge, in addition to the other privileges, which are equally secured to all defendants, in criminal prosecutions. From analogy to the rule of pleading in civil actions, I suppose that whenever the same plea may be pleaded, and the same judgment given, the offences may be joined. No doubt two felonies may be joined, so far as regards the objection in point of law, as matter of form. And so of several misdemeanors. (3 T. II. 98.) And by the English practice, larceny and receiving stolen goods may be
We differ, therefore, with the Circuit Court, in the reason given for quashing the indictment, that the counts cannot legally be joined. We think that they may be joined, but leave it to the direction of the presiding Judge, in all cases, so to regulate the trial that the party shall not be prejudiced by the joinders. As other indictments have been given out and found, we do not consider it material to make any order.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.