People v. Browning

22 P.2d 784, 132 Cal. App. 136, 1933 Cal. App. LEXIS 221
California Court of Appeal·Decided May 20, 1933·No. Docket No. 1258.·Published·Cited by 12 cases

Opinion

THOMPSON, J.

The appellant was convicted of the crime of abortion. A reversal of the judgment is sought on the ground that a portion of the trial was conducted on a holiday; that the court erred in its charge to the jury and in the reception of testimony, and that both the judge and district attorney were guilty of prejudicial misconduct.

The trial began February 27, 1933, and continued from day to day to and including March 2, 1933. For the protection of the banking business of the state of California which was seriously threatened, the Governor proclaimed March 2d, 3d and 4th as public holidays. Neither the court nor counsel heard of this proclamation until after the cause had been finally submitted to the jury for decision. The cause was argued to the jury by respective counsel and the court *140 delivered its charge to the jury on the morning of March 2d. The deliberations of the jury continued for several hours. During their consideration of the evidence the jury returned into court, and at their request, for the purpose of refreshing their memories, the testimony of several witnesses was read to them by the reporter. About 10 o’clock at night the jury returned its verdict against the defendant. The verdict was received, read and duly declared by the jury in open court. At the request of defendant’s attorney the jury was polled. Thereupon, for the first time, the court’s attention was called to the fact that March 2d had been previously proclaimed a holiday and the defendant then objected to the recording of the verdict on the ground that it was therefore void. The objection was overruled. The verdict was recorded. The jury was discharged, and the cause was continued to a subsequent judicial day at which time sentence was duly pronounced. A motion for a new trial upon this and other statutory grounds was made and denied. From the judgment and order denying the motion for new trial the defendant has appealed.

Section 134 of the Code of Civil Procedure provides that “No court, other than the supreme court, must be open for the transaction of judicial business on any of the holidays mentioned in section 10, except for the following purposes:

“1. To give upon their request, instructions to jury when deliberating on their verdict.
“2. To receive a verdict or discharge a jury.
“3. For the exercise of the powers of a magistrate in a criminal action, or in a proceeding of a criminal nature.
“Injunctions and writs of prohibition may be issued and served on any day. ...”

Section 10 of the Political Code declares that “Holidays, within the meaning of this code, are every Sunday, . . . and every day appointed by the President of the United States, or ~by the governor of this state for a public feast, thanksgiving or holiday, ...”

Section 10, supra, was amended March 6, 1933, as an urgency act, defining special holidays as distinguished from general holidays, and authorizing all court proceedings, sessions of school and business transactions to be performed on such special holidays which are not specifically prohibited *141 in the proclamation of such holidays. The amendment reads in part:

“Provided that on any day appointed by the President or by the governor as a special or limited holiday all courts, public schools and public offices of this state, . . . shall be open and shall function in their normal and usual manner . . . except only . . . the particular class of business or persons expressly limited or restricted by the provisions of the proclamation appointing or declaring such special or limited holiday.”

This amendment was adopted too late to affect the validity of the judgment in the present case. It was not enacted until four days after the challenged proceedings of trial in this case had transpired. Nor does the case of Vidal v. Backs, 218 Cal. 99 [21 Pac. (2d) 952, 86 A. L. R. 1134], upon which the respondent relies, aid the judgment in this cause. That case was decided by the Supreme Court May 1, 1933. It applied the foregoing amendment to section 10 of the Political Code in support of the validity of a judgment of foreclosure which was made and entered March 8, 1933, two days after the amendment was adopted.

There is no doubt that a judgment of conviction which is pronounced on a holiday over the express objection of an accused person is void. (In re Smith, 152 Cal. 566 [93 Pac. 191]; In re Dal Porte, 198 Cal. 216 [244 Pac. 355].) But the irregularity of proceeding with judicial transactions on a holiday may be expressly waived, or tacitly waived by failure to object thereto.

We are of the opinion the judgment in the present case is not invalid merely because the cause was argued and the jury instructed on a holiday. The defendant acquiesced in these proceedings and waived her right to a discontinuance of the trial, on account of the holiday, by participating therein and by failing to object thereto until after the verdict had been rendered. (Walter v. Superior Court, 49 Wash. 1 [94 Pac. 665, 17 L. R. A. (N. S.) 257] ; State v. Brownfield, 160 La. 171 [106 So. 734, 43 A. L. R. 475] ; State v. Duncan, 118 La. 702 [43 So. 283, 11 Ann. Cas. 557, 10 L. R. A. (N. S.) 791]; State v. Foss, 158 La. 471 [104 So. 211]; State v. Cook, 78 S. C. 253 [59 S. E. 862, 125 Am. St. Rep. 788, 13 Ann. Cas. 1051, 15 L. R. A. (N. S.) 1013] ; *142 Shepherd v. Superior Court, 54 Cal. App. 673 [202 Pac. 466]; In re Murphy, 79 Cal. App. 64 [248 Pac. 1044].)

In the present case it appears that neither the judge of the court nor the parties to the suit were aware of the fact that the Governor had proclaimed March 2d as a holiday until after the cause was submitted to the jury. But it is apparent the defendant had knowledge of the holiday before the verdict was rendered. Defendant’s counsel participated in the arguments to the jury and offered instructions which were given to the jury. He was present when the testimony of certain witnesses was read to the jury at their request. With full knowledge of the existence of the holiday he permitted the jury to render its verdict, without objection, speculating on the chance of obtaining a favorable result of the trial. At the defendant’s request the jury was polled. For the first time when the clerk was directed to record the verdict, she raised the objection that the proceedings were void. A defendant is estopped from participating and acquiescing in legal proceedings on a holiday, speculating on the recovery of a favorable verdict, and then challenging the validity thereof, for the first time after the verdict has been rendered.

Since the defendant had actual knowledge of the holiday before the verdict was rendered it is immaterial that she may not have had that information at the time the case was argued and the jury instructed.

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People v. Browning, 22 P.2d 784, 132 Cal. App. 136, 1933 Cal. App. LEXIS 221 (Cal. Ct. App. 1933).

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