King v. Roberts

84 S.W.2d 718, 125 Tex. 623, 1935 Tex. LEXIS 355
CourtTexas Supreme Court
DecidedJuly 3, 1935
DocketNo. 6347.
StatusPublished
Cited by17 cases

This text of 84 S.W.2d 718 (King v. Roberts) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Texas Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
King v. Roberts, 84 S.W.2d 718, 125 Tex. 623, 1935 Tex. LEXIS 355 (Tex. 1935).

Opinion

Mr. Judge TAYLOR

delivered the opinion of the Commission of Appeals, Section B.

*626 John F. Roberts was constable of Precinct No. 7, Bexar County on August 29, 1930. On that date the justice of the peace of that precinct issued a warrant of arrest addressed to the sheriff or any constable of Bexar County, commanding the officer receiving same to arrest J. T. King and safely keep him so as to have him before the justice court of said precinct to be held forthwith to answer the charges specified in the warrant. The offense charged were misdemeanors. The warrant was placed in the hands of J. T. Wright, one of Roberts’ deputies, for execution. King resided at Alice, Jim Wells County, about 150 miles distant from San Antonio. Wright upon arriving at Alice got in touch with the sheriff’s office. A deputy sheriff then located King, brought him to Wright, who arrested him and took him into his custody. King alleges that he thereupon requested Wright to give him an opportunity to make bond for his appearance in court and to permit him to seek the advice of an attorney; and that both requests were refused. He alleges he was then taken over his protest to the town of Corpus Christi about 45 miles distant from his home town of Alice; that while en route to Corpus Christi he broached the subject to Wright of being permitted to pay a sum of money to secure his release; that Wright assessed his fine and costs at $41.35, and told him he could secure his release upon payment of this amount and upon signing a statement pleading guilty to the charges; that he gave Wright his check for the amount under protest, and signed a statement prepared by Wright. King alleged also in this connection that there was in his home town of Alice a justice of the peace, and that it was Wright’s duty upon his request after being arrested, to take him before the nearest magistrate; and that if Wright had done so, he could have furnished bail.

The suit is against constable Roberts, • deputy constable Wright, and the sureties on. Roberts' official bond, Union Indemnity Company, W. F. Herndon, R. Dinkla and F. N. Neuendorff.

The jury found in answer to special issues that King requested Wright to allow him to make bond, or consult an attorney; and that Wright over King’s protest, took him to Corpus Christi. The jury found actual damages in the sum of $550.00, but did not assess exemplary damages. Judgment was rendered by the court against all of the defendants for $591.-35, being the amount of damages found, together with the amount paid by King to secure his release. Upon appeal a majority of the Court of Civil Appeals reversed and remanded *627 the case, and a dissenting opinion was filed. 49 S. W. (2d) 991.

The reversal of the judgment is predicated upon alleged errors in the charge of the trial court. It was pointed out by plaintiff in error King in a motion for rehearing filed in the "Court of Civil Appeals that the., record discloses the objections to the charge were not presented to or passed upon by the trial court. The Court of Civil Appeals overruled the motion for rehearing, stating in the opinion on rehearing that if such objections were valid; appellee waived them by treating them in his brief as properly before the court. Writ of error was granted upon the first assignment in the application to the effect that the objections to the court’s charge not being presented to or ruled upon by the trial court could not properly be made the basis for reversible error.

1 The Court of Civil Appeals was in error in reversing and remanding the case upon the alleged errors in the charge. It is well settled that objections to the charge shall in every instance be presented to the court before the charge is read to the jury, and that all objections not so presented shall be considered as waived. Electric Express & Baggage Co. v. Ablon, 110 Texas, 285, 218 S. W., 1030, 3 Tex. Jur., 205, par. 138; St. Louis S. W. Ry. Co. v. Wadsack (writ refused), 166 S. W., 42.

It is also settled that the appellant does not waive his right to insist upon the Court’s passing upon the matter by failing to call it to the Court’s attention in his brief. In the case last cited the only assignments of error presented to the Court of Civil Appeals were based upon the appellant’s objections to the charge. The record showed that the objections had not been passed upon by the trial court, and upon motion for rehearing the Court of Civil Appeals said:

“Counsel for appellee has intimated a willingness for us to waive any legal objection to the lack of formality in presenting the basis of the first assignment of error-'-that relating to the main charge of the court. We do not now regard this as a matter resting in our discretion. Nowhere are we advised that this objection to the charge was presented as required by the statute, and it is distinctly enacted that all such objections not so presented shall be considered as waived. That means they ■shall not be considered on appeal as grounds for reversing a judgment. This statute was enacted as a reform measure, ¡designed to prevent unnecessary reversals.” (Italics ours).

Writ of error was denied in the case quoted from. See also *628 Parson v. Hubbard, 226 S. W., 441; Western Indemnity Co. v. Toennis (writ refused), 250 S. W., 1098. The Court of Civil Appeals erred in reversing the case upon the alleged errors in the charge.

2 The majority opinion of the Court of Civil Appeals contains no discussion of any assignments other than those relating to the charge of the court. These will not be reviewed, as the errors, if any, in the charge, were waived upon trial of the case. Under the rule announced in Holland v. Nimitz, 111 Texas, 419, 232 S. W., 298, 239 S. W., 185, the record will be examined however to determine whether other assignments presented by appellant King in his brief in the Court of Civil Appeals present reversible error.

3 It is urged by appellant’s first proposition that it was the duty of Wright to permit him to give an appearance bond and consult an attorney, and that failure to do so constituted false imprisonment. While the Court of Civil Appeals did not dis-

■ cuss this elemental proposition it states in the course of the opinion that it was the duty of the officer to permit the accused to give an appearance bond, and that a failure to do so constituted unlawful imprisonment. This statement of the law is correct. Article 235 C. C. P., 1925, reads: “One arrested for a misdemeanor shall be taken before a magistrate of the county where the arrest takes place who shall take bail and transmit immediately the bond so taken to the court having jurisdiction of the offense.” Article 454 C. C. P., 1925, reads: “Any officer making an arrest under a capias in a misdemeanor may in term time or vacation take bail of the defendant.” In Buzan v. State, 59 Texas Crim. Rep., 213, 128 S. W., 388, a motion to retax cost was filed. The sheriff of Hood County arrested the accused in Atascosa County. Upon the trial of the accused’s case there was taxed as costs against him the sum of $92.50 for traveling expenses of the sheriff for conveying the prisoner from Atascosa, to Hood County. The accused contended he was given no opportunity to make bond, and that the action of the sheriffs of both counties in refusing him bail was arbitrary.

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Bluebook (online)
84 S.W.2d 718, 125 Tex. 623, 1935 Tex. LEXIS 355, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/king-v-roberts-tex-1935.