Corley v. Adair County Court

1913 OK CR 267, 134 P. 835, 10 Okla. Crim. 104, 1913 Okla. Crim. App. LEXIS 294
CourtCourt of Criminal Appeals of Oklahoma
DecidedSeptember 9, 1913
DocketNo. A-2049.
StatusPublished
Cited by19 cases

This text of 1913 OK CR 267 (Corley v. Adair County Court) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Criminal Appeals of Oklahoma primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Corley v. Adair County Court, 1913 OK CR 267, 134 P. 835, 10 Okla. Crim. 104, 1913 Okla. Crim. App. LEXIS 294 (Okla. Ct. App. 1913).

Opinion

FURMAN, J.

(after stating the facts as above). First. Has this court power to issue a writ of prohibition?

Section 187, Williams’ Ann. Const. Olcla., is as follows:

“The appellate jurisdiction of the Supreme Court shall be coextensive with the state, and shall extend to all civil cases at law and in equity, and to all criminal cases until a Criminal Court of Appeals with exclusive appellate jurisdiction in criminal cases shall be established by law.”

*106 This provision of the Constitution is subject to but one rational construction, and that is: When the Criminal Court of Appeals was established by law with exclusive appellate jurisdiction in criminal cases, such jurisdiction ceased on the part of the Supreme Court, and the Criminal Court of Appeals became in fact and in law the Supreme Court of the state in all criminal cases and was vested with all the power and authority exercised in criminal cases bjr the Supreme Court prior to that time. By necessary implication the Criminal Court of Appeals has the exclusive right and power to issue all writs and do all things which are incident or essential to the complete exercise of its appellate jurisdiction in criminal cases. Any other construction of this provision would result in conflicts and confusion in the administration of the criminal laws of the state upon the well-recognized principle that two bodies of equal density cannot occupy the same space at the'same time. This is evidently the construction placed upon the foregoing provision of the Constitution by the Legislature, as is shown by section 1770, Rev. Laws 1910, which is as follows:

"Said court and judges thereof shall have the power to issue writs of habeas corpus; and, under such regulations as may be prescribed by law, issue such writs as may be necessary to exercise its jurisdiction; and may prescribe and promulgate such rules for the government of said court as it may deem necessary.”

In harmony with these views, in the case of State ex rel. Ikard v. Russell, Judge, 33 Okla. 141, 124 Pac. 1092, the Supreme Court of this state, speaking through Mr. Justice Kane, said:

“It is the settled policy of the Supreme Court to follow the .construction given to criminal statutes by the Criminal Court of Appeals, since the enforcement of such statutes must be in accordance with such construction. Ex parte Justus, 26 Okla. 101, 110 Pac. 907; Flood v. State ex rel., 27 Okla. 852, 113 Pac. 914; Herndon v. Hammond, County Judge, 28 Okla. 616, 115 Pac. 775.”

In construing the section of the Constitution providing for the creation of the Criminal Court of Appeals above quoted, Mr. Justice Williams, speaking for the Supreme Court of Okla *107 homa, in the case of Ex parte Anderson, 33 Okla. 216, 124 Pac. 980, said:

“The Criminal Court of Appeals in certain cases has jurisdiction in prohibition, mandamus, and habeas corpus proceedings. Herndon v. Hammond, County Judge, supra; Eubanks v. Cole, 4 Okla. Cr. 25, 109 Pac. 736; State ex rel. Sims v. Caruthers, Judge, 1 Okla. Cr. 428, 98 Pac. 474; Ex parte Show, 4 Okla. Cr. 416, 113 Pac. 1062; Ex parte Adair, 5 Okla. Cr. 374, 115 Pac. 277; Ex parte Martin, 6 Okla. Cr. 224, 118 Pac. 155; State ex rel. v. Russell, Judge, supra.”

"Without further elaboration, we áre of the opinion that upon a proper showing in a criminal case this court has the power and right to issue a writ of prohibition.

Second. What are the conditions under which a writ of prohibition should be issued in a criminal case? This question is fully and correctly answered by Mr. Justice Williams, of the Supreme Court of Oklahoma, in the case of Evans v. Willis, 22 Okla. 310, 97 Pac. 1047, 19 L. R. A. (N. S.) 1050, 18 Ann. Cas. 258, as follows:

“The next question arises as to whether or- not the writ of prohibition herein sought is the proper remedy. Such writ will not be issued on account of errors or irregularities in the proceedings of a court having jurisdiction, or- on account of insufficiency of averment or pleading, or upon matters of defense which may be properly raised in the lower court. Ex parte Branch, 63 Ala. 383; Epperson v. Rice, 102 Ala. 668, 15 South. 434; Clark v. Superior Court, 55 Cal. 199; 16 Enc. Pl. & Pr. p. 1126, and authorities cited in footnotes 2-4. The better rule appears to be that the writ will be issued where the lower court appears to be without jurisdiction upon the record and admitted facts. 16 Enc. PL & Pr. p. 1128, and authorities cited in footnotes 1 and 2. Such extraordinary writ will not be awarded when the ordinary and usual remedies provided by law, such as appeal, writ of error, certiorari, or other modes of review or injunction, are available. Ex parte Smith, 23 Ala. 94; Ex parte Smith, 34 Ala. 455; Ex parte Scott, 47 Ala. 609; Ex parte Reid, 50 Ala. 439; Ex parte Mobile, etc., Ry. Co., 63 Ala. 349; Weaver v. Letherman, 66 Ark. 211, 49 S. W. 977; 16 Enc. Pl. & Pr. p. 1130, and authorities cited in footnote 2. There is no general rule by which the adequacy or inadequacy of a remedy can be ascertained, but the' question is one to be determined upon the facts of each particular case. The ’writ will not be issued on ac *108 count of the inconveniences, expense, or delay of other remedies, but will be granted where the remedy available is insufficient to prevent immediate injury or hardship to the party complaining, particularly in criminal cases. 16 Enc. PI. & Pr. p. 1131, and .authorities cited in footnotes 1 and 2. It appears that in criminal cases neither appeal, habeas corpus, nor certiorari would be a plain, speedy, or adequate remedy. 16 Enc. PI. & Pr. p. 1132, and authorities cited in footnote 1. The undisputed facts showing the indictment upon which the prosecution was based to be absolutely void, the writ of prohibition was declared to be the proper remedy. Bruner v. Superior Court, 92 Cal. 239, 28 Pac. 341; People v. Spiers, 4 Utah, 385, 10 Pac. 609, 11 Pac. 509; People v. Carrington, 5 Utah, 531, 17 Pac. 735; People v. Southwell, 46 Cal. 141; People v. Colvy, 54 Cal. 37; People v. Hunter, 54 Cal. 65; Levy v. Wilson, 69 Cal. 105, 10 Pac. 272; Ex parte Brown, 58 Ala. 542; 16 Enc. Pl. & Pr. p. 1132, and authorities cited in footnotes 1 and -2.”

The fact that an unauthorized person was present when the grand jury was deliberating upon this case would simply constitute a defect or irregularity which might be taken advantage of by the defendant or might be waived; therefore it would not make the indictment void. Where a county attorney is disqualified, the trial court has the right and it is its duty to appoint a special attorney to represent the state either before the grand jury or in open court.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
1913 OK CR 267, 134 P. 835, 10 Okla. Crim. 104, 1913 Okla. Crim. App. LEXIS 294, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/corley-v-adair-county-court-oklacrimapp-1913.