Dotseth v. Justice Court, Tucson, Precinct No. One

427 P.2d 558, 5 Ariz. App. 424, 1967 Ariz. App. LEXIS 455
CourtCourt of Appeals of Arizona
DecidedMay 5, 1967
Docket2 CA-CIV 348
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 427 P.2d 558 (Dotseth v. Justice Court, Tucson, Precinct No. One) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Arizona primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Dotseth v. Justice Court, Tucson, Precinct No. One, 427 P.2d 558, 5 Ariz. App. 424, 1967 Ariz. App. LEXIS 455 (Ark. Ct. App. 1967).

Opinion

MOLLOY, Judge.

This is an appeal from a judgment denying a writ of prohibition. The appellant here, petitioner for special writ in the superior court, is the guardian ad litem of a minor against whom a criminal complaint charging attempted burglary was filed in the Justice Court of Tucson, Precinct No. One. Inasmuch as the position of the appellant and this minor-defendant are in union, we refer to the appellant and the defendant herein as “the defendant.”

The defendant contends that, by reason of delays which occurred in bringing the criminal complaint against him on for preliminary hearing, the respondent-magistrate should be prohibited from proceeding further in connection therewith.

The lower court, after a hearing at which only oral arguments were taken, denied the writ of prohibition, and quashed the alternative writ theretofore issued. In making this order, the lower court indicated that it was so doing because it found “ * * * that good cause existed for the postponement of the examination by the magistrate pursuant to Rule 20 of the Arizona Rules of Criminal Procedure * * * ”

The granting of a writ of prohibition lies to a great extent within the discretion of the court to which application is made. Zimmerman v. Superior Court, 98 Ariz. 85, 402 P.2d 212 (1965). On appeal, the appellate court will not reverse unless an abuse of discretion is disclosed. Caruso v. Superior Court in and for County of Pima, 100 Ariz. 167, 412 P.2d 463 (1966). Ordinarily, a writ of prohibition will be granted to prevent further action or proceedings in a lower tribunal only when the lower tribunal is acting in excess, of its jurisdiction. Martin v. Superior Court, 96 Ariz. 282, 394 P.2d 211 (1964) ; Industrial Commission v. Superior Court, 5 Ariz.App. 100, 423 P.2d 375 (1967).

In this action we find ourselves in the peculiar position of being required to judge the trial court’s action on a different factual basis than presented to the trial court. Below, the issues were presented in a verified petition for prohibition and a response thereto. 1

*426 On appeal, the statements of fact as contained in the defendant’s opening brief are considerably different from those presented in the verified petition below. The State’s answering brief has no section devoted to a statement of facts, and under the applicable rule of procedure, by failing to make a statement of facts, the State has conceded the propriety of the defendant’s statement. Rule 5(d), Rules of the Supreme Court, 17 A.R.S.

The opening brief states that a criminal complaint charging attempted burglary was filed June 15, 1966, and that a preliminary hearing was scheduled on June 17, 1966. Thereafter there were three continuances. The first continuance is said to have been granted by the court on June 17, 1966, continuing the hearing for three days to June 20, 1966. This continuance was granted for the reason that the deputy county attorney objected to the qualifications of the person there available to stenographically report the testimony. This person was not a certified court reporter.

The second continuance occurred on June 20, 1966. According to the statement of facts, the defendant was required “ * * to report to Naval Authorities in San Diego, California on the 21st day of June, 1966,” and this fact had been made known to the justice of the peace at the June 17 hearing. The continued preliminary hearing was scheduled for 9 a. m., on the 20th day of June 1966, and at this time, though the defendant did not personally appear, his counsel appeared. The preliminary hearing was again continued until June 22, 1966, over defendant’s counsel’s objections. Thereafter, an order was entered by stipulation of counsel for both the State and this defendant that the preliminary hearing b.e continued indefinitely. Subsequently, over defendant’s objection, the hearing was set for August 2, 1966. At this time the defendant did not appear and a warrant was ordered issued for his arrest. It was at this stage that a writ of prohibition was sought in the superior court.

On appeal, the defendant has two principal contentions. The first is that the continuances granted of the preliminary hearing were a violation of Rule 19(A) and Rule 20, Rules of Criminal Procedure, which read:

“Rule 19. Magistrate to proceed with examination unless waived
“A. If the defendant does not request the aid of counsel, the magistrate shall immediately proceed with the examination unless the defendant waives examination.” (Emphasis added)
“Rule 20. Postponement of examination
“The magistrate may for good cause postpone the examination. If no postponement is had, the examination shall be completed at one session. No postponement shall be for more than two days, nor shall the postponements in all exceed six days except for good cause.” (Emphasis added)

17 A.R.S. Rules of Criminal Procedure.

The State in its brief has made no attempt to defend the decision of the trial court that there was good cause shown for the three-day continuance granted on June 17, 1966. Without citation of authority, we find the following statement in the State’s brief:

“The question of the propriety of the continuance from- June 17 to June 20 to procure the services of a certified court reporter has nothing to do with the matter.”

Accordingly, for the purposes of this opinion, we assume that the continuance from June 17 to June 20 in the conducting of the subject preliminary hearing was without “good cause,”

*427 The appellees rest their position on appeal upon the decision of State v. Maldonado, 92 Ariz. 70, 373 P.2d 583 (1962), holding that, in the absence of a showing that the accused was prejudiced in his defense, the violation of a statute requiring that an accused be brought before a magistrate “ * * * without unnecessary delay * * A.R.S. § 13-1418, does not invalidate a conviction. In Maldonado, the accused had been held for 79 days without compliance with the mandate of A.R.S. § 13-1418. The delay was characterized by our Supreme Court as an “ * * * abuse of authority * * but not one requiring absolution from criminal prosecution. The court held:

“Thus, unless the preliminary delay in some way deprives an accused of a fair trial there is no denial of due process of law.”

92 Ariz. at 76, 373 P.2d at 587.

As in Maldonado,

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Bluebook (online)
427 P.2d 558, 5 Ariz. App. 424, 1967 Ariz. App. LEXIS 455, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/dotseth-v-justice-court-tucson-precinct-no-one-arizctapp-1967.