LANE, ETC. v. Hobbs

208 N.E.2d 182, 246 Ind. 640, 1965 Ind. LEXIS 410
CourtIndiana Supreme Court
DecidedJune 24, 1965
Docket30,648
StatusPublished
Cited by14 cases

This text of 208 N.E.2d 182 (LANE, ETC. v. Hobbs) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Indiana Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
LANE, ETC. v. Hobbs, 208 N.E.2d 182, 246 Ind. 640, 1965 Ind. LEXIS 410 (Ind. 1965).

Opinions

Arterburn, J.

This is an appeal from the granting of a writ of habeas corpus by the LaPorte Circuit Court, which released the appellee, Arnold G. Hobbs, from the Indiana State Prison where he was committed to serve a fifteen year sentence by the Circuit Court of Allen County, Indiana for embezzlement.

After the jury’s verdict of guilty, the court fixed the sentence of fifteen [15] years.

The appellee contends that the penalty fixed by the statute was a determinate period of not less than two [2] nor more than twenty [20] years, which it was the duty of the jury to fix instead of the court under the statute, and that therefore, after he had served the minimum of two years, he was entitled to be discharged from prison, since the court had no jurisdiction to fix any greater penalty than [642]*642the minimum under the authority of Witte v. Dowd, Warden (1951), 230 Ind. 485, 102 N. E. 2d 630 and Shoemaker v. Dowd, Warden (1953), 232 Ind. 602, 115 N. E. 2d 443.

These cases are superseded by Dowd, Warden v. Todd (1962), 243 Ind. 232, 184 N. E. 2d 4. There we reviewed and considered these cases and others like them in view of the new rule, 2-40B. This rule provides in substance that whenever it appears an incorrect sentence has been imposed, application may be made by the objecting party for the correction of the same to the court imposing the sentence originally, from which ruling an appeal may be taken to the Supreme Court. The rule, approved in 1954, made plain and certain the remedy when it is contended an erroneous sentence has been imposed. It did away with the fiction that the court lost “jurisdiction” to impose an erroneous or excessive sentence. We stated there (p. 236):

“Far too frequently the term ‘lack of jurisdiction’ is loosely used and overworked as a catchall to support a desired remedy. From such a premise it is then argued that all actions of a court are ‘void.’ We cannot ascribe ‘lack of jurisdiction’ indiscriminately as. a basis for. achieving every remedy, however desirable.
In the case before us the court had general jurisdiction of the -subject matter, namely, the crimes involved. The, court ;also .had jurisdiction, of the party involved. Under no theory can it be urged that there was lack of jurisdiction. in the Marion Criminal Court, Division Two, or that the judgment was void. At the most, it was contrary to law and therefore erroneous. . . .”

Later, this Court reaffirmed the operation of this rule and that the trial court retained jurisdiction to correct an erroneous sentence, rather than lost it by reason of any error. Woods v. State (1955), 234 [643]*643Ind. 598, 130 N. E. 2d 139. Wagner v. State (1963), 243 Ind. 570,188 N. E. 2d 914.

We again state that the remedy to correct an erroneous sentence is through Rule 2-40B and not by habeas corpus in another trial court under any theory that the trial court imposing the sentence had lost “jurisdiction”.

It has never been the law in Indiana that one trial court may review the judgment or errors of another trial court by or through a writ of habeas corpus. In habeas corpus, one trial court may not go behind the judgment of another trial court. In the case before us we call attention to the fact that to review the judgment of the Allen Circuit Court, the LaPorte Circuit Court had to go back of the judgment into the record and view the jury’s verdict., If it may do that, then it may review the motion for ,a new trial or another alleged intervening error. The judgment of the trial court merely reads ás follows:

“It is, therefore, ordered, adjudged and decreed by the Court that the said defendant, Arnold G. Hobbs, is guilty of the offense of Embezzlement, as charged in the indictment, and that he be and he is hereby committed to the custody and control of the Warden of the Indiana State Prison for a period of fifteen (15) years, and that he be fined in the penal sum of One Thousand ($1,000.00) Dollars, and that he pay and satisfy the costs herein taxed.”

Applying the principles enunciated in Dowd, Warden v. Todd (1962), 243 Ind. 232, 184 N. E. 2d 4, the Allen Circuit Court had jurisdiction of such matter, namely, the, trial of causes in embezzlement. It also had jurisdiction of the party involved and . the judgment on its face was valid. If there was error occurring prior to the judgment, application must be [644]*644made to the Allen Circuit Court for correction of its own error. Another trial court of coordinate jurisdiction under no theory of “lack of jurisdiction” may review or correct the action in a habeas corpus case. The Supreme Court of the State of Indiana was created for the purpose of finally determining errors in trial courts of this State, and Rule 2-40B so provides for such review in cases where an erroneous sentence has been imposed.

We further call attention to the fact that other remedies also were open to the appellee herein for correction of any alleged error in the sentence at the time the jury’s verdict was returned. If he found it defective, prejudicial or in error, it was his duty at that time to object, pointing out the alleged error in the trial court before the jury was discharged. Certainly he may not stand by silently and wait until after the statutes of limitation have run and then go into another court through habeas corpus, asking that the judgment be declared void. A party may not stand idly by, make no objections to what he considers prejudicial error in a trial or proceeding, and then attempt to claim error later in another proceeding in another court nor even on appeal in the same case. If a party makes no objection at the time when the alleged error can be corrected, he waives the alleged error or right to claim it later, even on appeal. Such a principle is only fair to the opposing party and to the Court.

In Myles v. State (1955), 234 Ind. 129, 124 N. E. 2d 205, we stated (p. 134) :

“There is no contention appellant was not represented by competent counsel, and assuming without deciding that each juror did not say it was his verdict, it was the duty of appellant to object to its return before the jury was discharged. If the court’s intrinsic record did not correctly [645]*645state the proceeding at the time the jury was polled, it was the duty of appellant to bring the matter into the record by a special bill of exceptions, ...”

In The State v. Arnold (1895), 144 Ind. 651, 42 N. E. 1095, we stated (p. 660):

“. . . We had occasion in the recent case of May v. State, supra, to consider the effect of a defendant’s silence when a verdict is returned assessing punishment smaller than that prescribed, and we have no reason to deny the soundness of the conclusion there reached. His silence is a waiver of the irregularity. As rediculous as it might appear that a defendant charged with crime should be required to object to an irregularity favorable to him, it is no more so than to permit him, after receiving the benefit of a diminished punishment, to ask that, by reason of that benefit, he be permitted to go scot-free.”

In Mountjoy v. The State (1881), 78 Ind. 172, at page 175, the principle is summed up:

". . .

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

State v. Dossett
368 N.E.2d 259 (Indiana Court of Appeals, 1977)
Kelsie v. State
354 N.E.2d 219 (Indiana Supreme Court, 1976)
Brandon v. State
340 N.E.2d 756 (Indiana Supreme Court, 1976)
PASSWATER, ETC. v. Winn
229 N.E.2d 622 (Indiana Supreme Court, 1967)
Sutton v. State
221 N.E.2d 430 (Indiana Supreme Court, 1966)
In re McVay
214 N.E.2d 798 (Indiana Supreme Court, 1966)
Smith v. State
211 N.E.2d 186 (Indiana Supreme Court, 1965)
LANE, ETC. v. Hobbs
208 N.E.2d 182 (Indiana Supreme Court, 1965)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
208 N.E.2d 182, 246 Ind. 640, 1965 Ind. LEXIS 410, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/lane-etc-v-hobbs-ind-1965.