Hogg v. Board of County Commissioners

57 Colo. 463
CourtSupreme Court of Colorado
DecidedApril 15, 1914
DocketNo. 8224
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 57 Colo. 463 (Hogg v. Board of County Commissioners) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Colorado primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Hogg v. Board of County Commissioners, 57 Colo. 463 (Colo. 1914).

Opinion

Mr. Justice Garrigues

delivered the opinion of the court:

1. Statement of the Case. August 22, 1913, a complaint was filed in the county court of San Miguel county alleging the respondent, Thomas B. McMahon, a citizen of said county, was so insane or distracted in his mind as to endanger his own property, or the person and property of others, if allowed to go at large. The court forthwith issued an order for his apprehension, upon which, the following day, he was arrested by the sheriff, and August 28, 1913, the court ordered a jury summoned to inquire into his sanity. On the trial W. L. Hogg, plaintiff in error, was summoned and testified as a witness on behalf of the People. Respondent filed a motion to quash the complaint upon the following grounds: ‘ ‘ First, because the County Court is without jurisdiction to inquire into the matter of the lunacy of said Thomas B. McMahon, and it is without authority and jurisdiction to hear and determine the same by or through a jury in the said court or otherwise. Second, that the said complaint and the process thereon under which the said T. B. McMahon is being held in custody, was issued without warrant or authority of law. Third, that there is no provision of law for an inquest of lunacy of the said T. B. McMahon, by a jury or otherwise in the said court; and his detention under said process is in violation of the constitution of the state of Colorado, and the constitution of the United States, sec. 1, art. 14 thereof. ’ ’ This motion was overruled. The facts were submitted to a jury which returned a verdict that respondent was not insane, and the court thereupon discharged him, and taxed all the costs of the proceeding against the county. The county commissioners refused to pay these costs, including Hogg’s witness fees, and he appealed his claim to the [465]*465District Court where the case was docketed: “W. L. Hogg, appellant, v. The Board of County Commissioners of San Miguel county, appellee.” Upon a trial, the District Court found the statute providing for a jury in the County Court in lunacy cases had been repealed; that the County Court had acted without jurisdiction; it sustained the action of the county commissioners, dismissed the appeal, and taxed the costs to Hogg, who, bringing the case here, assigns the following errors: ‘ First, that it erred in dismissing the appeal of plaintiff in error from the Board of County Commissioners of San Miguel county, Colorado. Second, that it materially erred in failing to give judgment to plaintiff in error upon his appeal from said board to said court. Third, that it materially erred in holding that chapter 181 of the Session Laws of 1903, repealed the statute providing for the inquisition of lunacy, namely, section 2204 of the General Statutes of 1883. a. Because said statute of 1903 did not repeal the statute concerning the inquisition of lunacy, b. Because said statute of 1903 did not purport to repeal the statute concerning the inquisition of lunacy, c. That if said statute of 1903 did purport, and did intend, to repeal the statute concerning the inquisition of lunacy, that then the Act of 1903 was unconstitutional and void, for the title to the Act was insufficient, d. That said chapter 181 of the Session laws of 1903 did not purport to repeal nor did it mention in the repealing clause, section 2204 of the General Statutes of the State of Colorado, as amended by chapter 119 of the Session Laws of 1893, entitled ‘Lunatics’.”

By stipulation it was agreed that the whole controversy as to the cost bill in the County Court should be determined on the appeal of Hogg to the District Court, thereby avoiding the necessity of appealing each individual case.

2. Statement of the Lunacy Statutes. Section 1, Bevised Statutes 1868, provides in substance that the probate court of the county where any lunatic resides, shall, on written application, empanel a jury to inquire [466]*466into the facts, and if the jury finds he is insane, to appoint a conservator of his estate. Section 28 provides, if the sheriff finds any lunatic in his county at large, he shall arrest and confine him until his sanity can be tried as provided in section 1. Upon the adoption of the constitution, no change was made in these sections by the General Laws of 1877, except to change the name from “Probate” to “County Court”.

In 1879 the legislature repealed sections 1 and 28, but enacted in lieu thereof, other sections retaining the same numbers, 1 and 28. These sections, passed in 1879, are printed in the General Statutes of 1883 as sections 2204 and 2231, sub-sections 1 and 28. Sub-section 1 (General section 2204) provides in substance: upon filing a complaint in the County Court alleging that any insane person has property, and is incapable of managing it, the judge shall summon a jury to inquire into such facts, and if the jury return a verdict that he is so insane as to be incapable of managing his estate, the court shall appoint a conservator. Sub-section 28, (General section 2231) provides: that the County Court or judge thereof shall order the apprehension of any insane person against whom there is written complaint; and for the apprehension, without order, of any insane person found at large, and whether the arrest be by or without an order, the person arrested shall be taken before the County Court or judge, who shall hold an inquest as provided in section 1.

In 1893, these sections, 1 and 28, were again amended as follows:

“Section 1. That section 2204 of the General Statutes of the State of Colorado be, and the same is hereby amended so as to read as follows: Section 2204. Whenever any reputable person shall file with the County Court, or with the judge thereof in vacation, a complaint duly verified, and shall allege therein that any person in such county is a lunatic, or an insane person, and is so distracted in mind, as to render such person incapable of properly and safely attending to his affairs, or managing his estate, and praying that inquiry thereinto, be had, the [467]*467court if satisfied that there is good cause for the exeicise of its jurisdiction, shall thereupon order a jury consisting of six jurors to he summoned to inquire into such facts; and if such complaint he filed in vacation the judge of said court may call a special term thereof, for the purpose of said inquiry. If it shall he alleged in said complaint and proved to the satisfaction of the court that said lunatic or insane person has personal or real estate, and if the jury shall return in their verdict that such person is so insane, or distracted in mind as to ren- • der him or her incapable of managing his or her estate, it shall be the duty of said County Court, to appoint some fit person to be the conservator of said estate. ’ ’
“Section 28. Whenever any reputable person shall file with the County Court a complaint duly verified (or whenever complaint duly verified shall be filed with the County Court by an authorized medical examiner, as hereinafter provided) alleging that any person in said county is so insane or distracted in his mind, as to endanger his own person and property, or the person and property of another, or others, if allowed to g-o at large, the County Court, or the judge thereof, shall forthwith issue an order in the name of the people, directing any person who shall be appointed by said county or judge, or any officer of said court, to execute the same by immediately taking such patient into custody; Provided,

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Bluebook (online)
57 Colo. 463, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/hogg-v-board-of-county-commissioners-colo-1914.