Huffman v. State

Court of Civil Appeals of Texas
Huffman v. State, 23 Tex. Ct. App. 491 (1887)
5 S.W. 134; 1887 Tex. Crim. App. LEXIS 112
Hurt

Huffman v. State

Opinion of the Court

Hurt, Judge.

This is a conviction for keeping a disorderly house. The indictment alleges that the house was kept from the first day of February, 1886, and on each day from that date up to the twenty-eighth day of February, 1886.

Though not directly passed upon by the courts of last resort in this State, the weight of authority is that this is a continuous offense, and that a conviction bars all further prosecutions up to the time of conviction. While this is the general rule, yet, to avoid this effect, it is well settled that if the indictment is drawn in the form in which this is drawn, and the evidence confined to the time thus carved out, a conviction will be no bar to prosecutions for keeping such house at other times not carved out by the indictment. By this character of pleading, the complicated *492and perplexing subject of continuous offenses is eliminated from the case. And, as the proof was confined to the time alleged, both in fact and in the charge of the court, the form of the indictment eliminates from the case the appellant’s plea of former conviction. (Vide Willson’s Forms.)

Opinion delivered June 8, 1887.

It was agreed between the parties that appellant should be tried upon her bond, and hence the judgment was rendered against the sureties as well as the appellant. In this there was error; wherefore the judgment against the sureties is reversed, and that against the appellant is affirmed.

Ordered accordingly.

Reference

Full Case Name
Hattie Huffman v. State
Cited By
6 cases
Status
Published
Syllabus
1. The Keeping of a Disorderly House is, under the law of this State, a continuous offense, and a conviction bars all further prosecution up to the time of conviction, unless, as in this case, the indictment specifies or “ carves out ” the times of the commission of the offense, and the evidence is confined to the times carved out; when a conviction will not be a bar to prosecutions forjike offenses at other times not carved out by the indictment. 2. Same.—It was agreed in this case that the appellant should be tried upon her bond, and judgment was rendered against both the appellant and her sureties. Held, error as to the sureties, but as to appellant the judgment is affirmed.