Jones v. State

145 S.E. 914, 39 Ga. App. 1, 1928 Ga. App. LEXIS 465
Procedural entryThis page is a short order in Jones v. State. Read the opinion of the Court — 36 Ga. App. 264
Court of Appeals of Georgia·Decided December 11, 1928·No. 19147·Published

Opinion

Luke, J.

An information was filed before the judge of the superior court of the Stone Mountain Circuit, charging N. T. Jones with contempt of court. A rule nisi was issued requiring said Jones to appear before the bar of DeKalb superior court and show [2]*2cause why he should not be dealt with as for contempt. A demurrer to the information was overruled, and, after evidence had been introduced, Jones was adjudged in contempt of court. The correctness of the judgment overruling the demurrer and of the said final judgment is duly presented for our consideration.

Omitting formal parts, the information, by paragraph, follows: “1. That on June, 1927, there was presented to his honor John B. Hutcheson, judge of the superior courts of the Stone Mountain circuit, by L. L. Ray, an attorney at law, a petition and prayer in the case of Carter Electric Company v. Mrs. Ella Dee Jones, said cause then pending in DeKalb superior court, one of the courts of said circuit. ' 2. A copy of said petition is hereto attached and marked Exhibit A. 3. That the language of said petition and prayer has a tendency to impede, embarrass, and obstruct said court in the due consideration of justice therein, and contains false and defamatory reflections upon the judicial integrity of said court. i. That N. T. Jones, a resident of Eulton county, Ga., a son of defendant in said cause, actively counseled, advised, and urged the preparation of said petition, was present at the preparation of said petition and said prayer, was conversant with its contents, carried it to his mother for her signature, and accompanied L. L. Ray to Jonesboro, where said petition was presented to your honor.”

The objectionable petition, attached as Exhibit A to the information, alleged: 1. The pending for fourteen months of “certain litigation in which your petitioner is defendant and Carter Electric Company et al. plaintiffs, same being a. bill for receiver for certain property,” which was described. “2. That various and sundry petitions and bills, both at common law and at equity, have been presented to the Hon. John B. Hutcheson, judge of the Stone Mountain Circuit for the State of Georgia; that upon these bills and petitions various orders have been entered and passed by the said Hon. John B. Hutcheson, touching the questions made in the litigation between the parties herein referred to. 3. That, without exception, the said Hon. John B. Hutcheson, when any petition has been presented to him by your petitioner, has accepted the same for consideration, and, before passing an order upon the same, would, by some means unknown to your petitioner, but she supposes by phone, communicate with counsel for the Carter Electric Company and confer with them and others secretly, and with[3]*3out notifying counsel for your petitioner to be present at such conference. Your petitioner alleges that she has a legal right to be represented at any conference upon any petition or bill that she has presented to the judge, which said right has been denied her in all petitions and bills presented to the Hon. John B. Hutcheson.” 4. The possession of said property was, by order of court, “conditioned upon your petitioner paying the sum of $250 per month as rent, or giving any proper bond for the same. Petitioner paid one month's rent. Proper and solvent bonds were delivered to the sheriff and refused by him.” “5. Your petitioner charges upon information and belief, and from past acts, that she will be evicted from the premises described in the petition at 10 o’clock, June 20th, and she here and now shows to the court that she is in the legal and peaceable possession of said property, and that her possession did not originate in fraud, and is not permissive only, and that she has complied with the former orders of this court and all of the bonds thereof to remain in possession of said property. Your petitioner further asserts that, with regret and humiliation, she is compelled to assert to this court that she can not get a fair, impartial, and legal hearing. The reason for this condition is unknown to your petitioner, but is very apparent to even a casual observer.” “6. Your petitioner respectfully shows to the court that she asked in the litigation herein referred to that nothing be doné except justice and right, which she stands ready and willing to do, and to abide any. order of the court that may be founded on the principles of justice and right. She claims this privilege as a citizen of the United States, and as constitutional right under the provisions of the constitution of the United States and the State of Georgia.” '“7. Your petitioner here charges that, under the former orders of this court and rulings of the Hon. John B. Hutcheson, she is about to be deprived of the possession of her property without due process of law to which she is entitled.” “8. Your petitioner herewith presents the affidavits of certain parties, which will appear by reference to said affidavits, and which said affidavits are self-explanatory, and prays that your honor, in passing your order upon.this petition, will consider.”

The prayers of the petition are: (1) that the sheriff and others be restrained from interfering with the petitioner’s possession of the property described in the petition; (2) “that your honor will [4]*4conscientiously and honestly consider the subject-matter, and the questions as made in this bill as to your qualifying or disqualifying to decide any question therein made except the question as to your qualification.” 3. '“That process do issue,” etc. 4. “That your honor will pass such order as in good conscience and justice you may deem right as to the matters mentioned in this petition, whether you are qualified to do so, and, if disqualified, enter some order asserting the same, that your petitioner may go to some other judicial officer qualified, and have the questions made in this petition adjudicated in accordance with the rules of law, equity, and justice.”

The demurrer to the information follows: “1. Said rule and information set forth no cause of action or complaint for contempt against this respondent. 2. Said rule and information do not set up facts showing that the contempt alleged took place in the presence of the court or so near thereto as to obstruct the administration of justice. 3. The facts in said ease set forth in the rule and attachment do not show that respondent has been guilty of any contempt, or conduct for which the law justifies fine and imprisonment. 4. Because the information and rule show that N. T. Jones is neither an officer of the court nor a party to a suit, nor a juror, witness, or that he has disobeyed any writ, process, rule, or order of court.”

An examination of the petition attached to the information as Exhibit A, and especially of paragraphs 3, 5, 6, and 7, and of the prayers thereof, clearly shows the contemptuous nature of the petition. In this connection, see the Fite case, 11 Ga. App. 665 (76 S. E. 397), and citations.

Accepting as true, as we must on demurrer, the allegations of fact in the information, we are sure that paragraph 4 of the information fixes upon N. T. Jones full responsibility for everything contained in the petition which is the basis of the contempt proceeding.

The second ground of the demurrer is in the language of the Civil Code (1910), § 4643 (Civil Code of 1895, § 4046). In Bradley v. State, 111 Ga. 168 (1, 2) (36 S. E. 630, 50 L. E. A. 691, 78 Am. St. R. 157), where this code, section was directly up for construction, it was said: “1.

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Jones v. State, 145 S.E. 914, 39 Ga. App. 1, 1928 Ga. App. LEXIS 465 (Ga. Ct. App. 1928).

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Related

Bradley v. State ex rel. Solicitor-General
50 L.R.A. 691 (Supreme Court of Georgia, 1900)
In re Fite
76 S.E. 397 (Court of Appeals of Georgia, 1912)