Inglis v. Morton
Inglis v. Morton
Opinion of the Court
Appellant, as plaintiff, brought this action against the respondent, as defendant, to recover damages for the alleged malicious prosecution of the appellant upon a charge of insanity. The complaint alleges that the respondent swore to a complaint upon
Both parties concede that a proceeding of this kind is analogous to a case where a party is charged with a crime out of which an action for malicious prosecution arises, and that the same rule should apply where the prosecuting witness makes a full, fair and complete statement to the prosecuting attorney, or to any other reputable attorney, and is advised that the facts are sufficient upon which to base a complaint of insanity. Since the parties are so agreed, and perceiving at this time no reason why their position is not correct, we have made no independent investigation to determine whether in other jurisdictions it has been so held, but assume for the purposes of this case that they are right.
This simplifies the issues to be here determined, and the only substantial question to be decided is: Did the undisputed facts, at the close of appellant’s case below,
After this conference with the prosecuting attorney on Saturday afternoon, respondent, according to his testimony, again went to the prosecuting "attorney’s office on Monday morning, further consulted with Mr. Gordon and with another deputy in the same office, and thereupon, acting wholly upon their advice and at their suggestion, he signed and swore to the insanity complaint. Appellant seems to complain that this was insufficient because respondent, in his testimony, did not disclose the exact words which he spoke to the prosecutor in making his statement to him, though it nowhere appears that there was any limitation placed upon the appellant’s right by redirect examination to test the accuracy of witness’ testimony and the fullness and fairness of his statement to the prosecutor by going into details and inquiring specifically as to what was said upon any and all points. We cannot hold this contention to be well founded. Appellant deliberately called the respondent to the witness stand and' went into the question of his reasons and motives for signing the complaint, on direct examination, thereby opening the door for the cross-examination which followed, and on redirect examination he had full opportunity to test the witness’ statements, both general and specific, and might have inquired in detail as to the disclosures made upon any and all points and the language used in making such disclosures. The evidence upon this point, as it stood at the close of ap
Error is also assigned upon the refusal to admit in evidence the statement of facts in the civil case between the parties theretofore tried. Appellant does not advance any reason for the admission of this evidence, and from an examination of the record we perceive none. Appellant did not, in the examination of the respondent, direct his attention to such statement of facts, or anything therein contained, .and our attention is directed to nothing therein which could in any wise contradict the respondent’s testimony as to making a full, fair and complete statement to the prosecuting attorney.
Finding no error, the judgment appealed from is affirmed.
Holcomb, C. J., Mount, Fullerton, and Bridges, JJ., concur.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.