People v. Brussel

122 Cal. App. 785
Appellate Division of the Superior Court of California·Decided January 20, 1932·No. Cr. A. No. 729·Published

Opinion

McLUCAS, P. J.

After examination of the complaint, on the motion of defendant, the court dismissed this action for want of jurisdiction. The apparent ground of this ruling, as disclosed by the record, was that the complaint was not properly signed and not under oath. The question has been raised whether the superior court has jurisdiction of an appeal from an order dismissing the action. In People v. Garcia, Cr. A. No. 700, decided by this court (120 Cal. App. (Supp.) 767 [2 Cal. Supp. 5, 7 Pac. (2d) 401]); the appeal was taken from an order dismissing the action. It .appeared that the order of dismissal [787] was made after the case had gone to trial and evidence had been received against the defendant. This court held, on authority of People v. Knowles, 27 Cal. App. 498 [155 Pac. 137], and Penal Code, sections 1237, 1238 and 1466, that there is no appeal from an order dismissing the action after the trial has been entered upon. A like ruling has been made regarding an appeal from an order dismissing an action under section 1382 for want of prosecution. (People v. Hollis, 65 Cal. 78 [2 Pac. 893].) In People v. Ellis, 204 Cal. 39 [266 Pac. 518], an order dismissing an information for lack of jurisdiction, on the ground that the information did not state an offense, where the defendant had not been placed in jeopardy, was held to be appealable on the ground that the order of dismissal was substantially equivalent to a judgment for defendant on demurrer. In the present case also, the defendant had pleaded not guilty, but had not been placed in jeopardy. In our opinion, the order of dismissal was appealable under subdivision 1 of section 1238 of the Penal Code. It was, in substance and effect, an order setting aside the complaint because it was not properly signed or not under oath.

The complaint was filed on October 16, 1931. On the same day the case was called the defendant was in court, was duly arraigned, informed of the charge against him and of his legal rights. Defendant entered his plea of not guilty and personally waived jury trial. The case was set for trial on October 28th and the defendant released on his own recognizance. The case was called for trial on October 28th. There was no appearance by the defendant, and the trial court ordered and issued a warrant for his arrest. On November lOih the cause was again called for trial and, upon motion of defendant, was ordered dismissed. The statement on appeal recites that' “The complaint in this action was examined by the court and appeared on its face not to be personally signed by the alleged or any complainant, but there appeared upon said complaint the impression of a rubber stamp of the name ‘Jos. B. Bunning ’ at the beginning of said complaint immediately following the words, to-wit: ‘Personally appeared before me this day of Oct. .16, 1931’ and a similar impression of such rubber stamp at the end of said complaint, immediately following the words, to-wit: ‘Said complainant therefore prays that a warrant may be [788] issued for the arrest of said defendant (Whose true name to affiant is unknown) and that he may be dealt with according to law. A complaint under oath, as required by section 1426 of the Penal Code, is substantially an affidavit. It appears .that signatures to affidavits are not required in civil cases in the absence of a statute requiring signatures. (City of Petaluma, v„ White, 152 Cal. 190, 195 [92 Pac. 177] ; Hotaling & Co. v. Brogan, 12 Cal. App. 500 [107 Pac. 711]; Lutz v. Kinney, 23 Nev. 279 [46 Pac. 257].) Section 1426 of the Penal Code does not specifically require a complaint to be signed. It has been held in other states that in prosecutions for misdemeanors it is not necessary that the affidavit be signed by affiant. (Holman v. State, 144 Ala. 95 [39 South. 646]; see, also, Husbands v. State, 105 Miss. 548 [62 South. 418].) We conclude that the signature of the complainant is not essential to the validity of the complaint.

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People v. Brussel, 122 Cal. App. 785 (Cal. Ct. App. 1932).

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