Town of Ridgeland v. Gens
Town of Ridgeland v. Gens
Opinion of the Court
The opinion of the Court was delivered by
Appellant was tried before the intendant of the town of Ridgeland and a jury, and convicted of selling whiskey. He was sentenced to pay a fine. *563 On appeal to the Circuit Court all his exceptions- were overruled except one, which made the point that the intendant erred in not imposing an alternative sentence. The case was remanded for the purpose of having an alternative sentence imposed.
From the judgment of the Circuit Court the defendant appeals to this Court.
When the case was called for trial in the municipal court the defendant demurred to the warrant on the ground that it stated no offense, because it failed to allege the name of the person to whom the whiskey was sold, or the price paid therefor. The demurrer was sustained, and the warrant and information were amended to meet these objections. After amendment the information was acknowledged by the affiant before the intendant. The case was then ordered to trial against the objection of the defendant, who contended that he should be discharged.
Section 00 of Volume 0, Criminal Code of 1900, says that all proceedings before magistrates in criminal cases shall be commenced on information, under oath, plainly and substantially setting forth the offense charged, and that the information may be amended at any time before trial; and, further, that such proceedings shall be summary, with only such delay as a fair and just examination of the case requires.
There was, therefore, no error in amending the information and warrant and ordering the case to trial, especially as- the defendant did not make it appear that he was surprised by the amendment, or would be prejudiced by an *564 immediate trial. State v. Nash, 51 S. C., 319, 28 S. E., 946.
The appellant further contends that the municipal court had no jurisdiction of the subject matter of the charge, or of his person.
The judgment of the Circuit Court is affirmed.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Town of Ridgeland v. Gens.
- Cited By
- 4 cases
- Status
- Published
- Syllabus
- 1. Indictment — Amending.—Town council may amend an information and try case at once, where defendant makes no showing of surprise by amendment or prejudice by immediate trial. 2. Liauoiis — Ordinances.—A single sale of whiskey is a violation of an ordinance forbidding any sale. 3. An ordinance need not in terms restrict its operation to the town limits. 4. Jurisdiction. — A town council acquires jurisdiction of the person of a defendant when he appears before it on day set for trial and is represented by counsel.