People Ex Rel. Morgan v. Mulliken

190 N.E.2d 502, 41 Ill. App. 2d 282, 1963 Ill. App. LEXIS 513
CourtAppellate Court of Illinois
DecidedMay 20, 1963
DocketGen. 10,425
StatusPublished
Cited by9 cases

This text of 190 N.E.2d 502 (People Ex Rel. Morgan v. Mulliken) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Appellate Court of Illinois primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
People Ex Rel. Morgan v. Mulliken, 190 N.E.2d 502, 41 Ill. App. 2d 282, 1963 Ill. App. LEXIS 513 (Ill. Ct. App. 1963).

Opinion

ROETH, JUSTICE.

This appeal is prosecuted by Wallace M. Mulliken, an attorney, from a judgment of the Circuit Court of Champaign County which found him guilty of contempt and fined him $50 for his refusal to comply with an order of court directing him to turn over a certain written document to opposing counsel for their inspection during the trial of a case.

The events giving rise to the contempt order occurred during the trial of two cases which had been consolidated for trial entitled Juanita H. Wright, Individually and as Administrator of the Estate of David G. Wright, and John P. McMillan, Individually and as Administrator of the Estate of John S. McMillan v. John Joseph Royse et al. A report of proceedings as to what actually occurred in open court upon the trial of these cases in connection with the subject matter of the contempt order is incorporated in the record on appeal. We therefore look to the report of proceedings rather than the contempt order to determine whether the contempt order was correct. People v. White, 8 Ill App2d 428, 131 NE2d 803.

The record before us discloses that Chester Payne and the two deceased young men were passengers in an automobile being driven by the defendant John Joseph Royse at a time when it became involved in an occurrence in which the two deceased young men lost their lives. Apparently the four young men had been in a tavern drinking prior to the occurrence and the question of the intoxication of the driver Royse was an issue in the case. Charles Payne was called as a witness for the plaintiffs. On cross-examination of Payne by Wallace M. Mulliken the following appears in the report of proceedings:

“Q. Now, Mr. Payne, you stated on your direct examination that you did not think Royse was intoxicated at the time you left Pembroke’s tavern?
A. I do not.
Q. And to drive back?
A. That’s right.
Q. Now, have you changed your opinion since you testified at the Coroner’s inquest?
A. No, I haven’t.
Q. Do you remember at one time having an opinion about Royse that he was completely sober — was not completely sober? He couldn’t thread a needle, but he could hit a nail?
Mr. Hendrix: Pll object, Your Honor.
A. I don’t believe I made a statement like that.
Q. You don’t think you made such a statement?
Mr. Franklin: Do you represent that he did, Mr. Mulliken?
Mr. Mulliken: Yes I do.
Mr. Franklin: In the Coroner’s inquest?
Mr. Mulliken: Not in the Coroner’s inquest. In another statement.
Mr. Franklin: How big a nail?
Mr. Mulliken: Well, Mr. Payne didn’t say.
Q. Mr. Payne, you had an interview with Mr. Joseph Luig at your home on or about April 26th, 1961?
A. Yes sir.
Q. Do you recall that interview ?
A. Yes.
Q. And do you recall Mr. Luig asked you some questions about the condition of Royse at the time you left Mr. Pembroke’s tavern and started back to Champaign?
A. Yes. And I believe I told him it was the same opinion I had stated in the Coroner’s inquest.
Q. Do you remember making a statement to this effect, that Royse wasn’t completely sober, and that he couldn’t thread a needle, but he could hit a nail?
A. No I do not.
Q. Would you say you did not say this at that time?
A. No. I don’t remember saying it.
Q. You don’t know whether you said it or didn’t say it?
A. No.
Q. Well, is it true that that is a fair description of Royse’s condition at the time he left the tavern and got in the car to drive back?
A. Yes.
Mr. Franklin: I don’t suppose he saw either one.
A. But I didn’t have a needle to see if he could thread it or not.
Q. In your opinion was Mr. Royse capable of driving?
A. Yes he was.”

The cross-examination then proceeded on other matters not material to the issue before us. On redirect examination by counsel for plaintiffs the following is reflected in the report of proceedings:

“Mr. Zimmerly: May we see the statement you allege Mr. Luig took, please, on which you cross-examined him?
Mr. Franklin: We request that Mr. Mulliken submit to us for examination the statement which he used to cross-examine and attempted to impeach this witness with in which he says that Mr. Payne has said, he couldn’t — ‘I couldn’t,’ or ‘I don’t think he could thread a needle, but he could hit a nail,’ or words to that effect. I think we have a right to see the statement that he uses for impeachment purposes.
Mr. Mulliken: We object to producing it, Your Honor, because it was a statement prepared at the direction of the attorney in preparation for trial, and is therefore a privileged document. It is a part of the things we used in preparing for trial, and under the Supreme Court rules is not the subject of discovery.
Mr. Franklin: It loses all privilege once they use it — .
The Court: The Court rules since you have used the document you should produce it for inspection.
Mr. Mulliken: Your Honor, I refuse to do this. And I will call Mr. Luig as a witness to impeach this witness. Mr. Luig is present, and he can be produced as a witness.
Mr. Franklin: I make a motion that Mr. Mulliken be held in contempt of Court if he refuses to obey the Court’s order.
The Court: Will you take out the jury, Mr. Bailiff?
(Whereupon the jury retired to the jury room, and the following proceedings were had in open court, out of the presence of the jury:)
The Court: Mr. Mulliken, I am perfectly aware of your rule 19.5, concerning work products. I don’t think this statement is a work product. Mr.

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Bluebook (online)
190 N.E.2d 502, 41 Ill. App. 2d 282, 1963 Ill. App. LEXIS 513, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-ex-rel-morgan-v-mulliken-illappct-1963.