People v. Horton

291 N.E.2d 844, 9 Ill. App. 3d 97, 1973 Ill. App. LEXIS 2781
CourtAppellate Court of Illinois
DecidedJanuary 17, 1973
DocketNo. 11714
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 291 N.E.2d 844 (People v. Horton) 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 v. Horton, 291 N.E.2d 844, 9 Ill. App. 3d 97, 1973 Ill. App. LEXIS 2781 (Ill. Ct. App. 1973).

Opinion

Mr. JUSTICE SIMKINS

delivered the opinion of the court:

Casey Horton was charged, in a two count indictment with violation of the Uniform Narcotic Drug Act. On April 15, 1971, the defendant was acquitted by verdict of the jury of the charges contained in one of the counts and on June 8, 1971, the other count was dismissed during a bench trial at the close of the Peoples’ evidence. The defendant was represented on both occasions, by attorney John J. Casey. Defendant’s bond had been fixed in the sum of $10,000 and he had posted a cash deposit of $1,000. Following his acquittal in the jury trial the bond continued in effect as to the other count of the indictment.

The parties to this appeal are attorney Curtis G. Oler, appellant and attorney John J. Casey appellee, both of whom were privately retained to represent the defendant Horton and the issue here concerns which attorney is entitled to the cash bond deposit. The trial judge awarded it to the appellee Casey.

The appellant Oler was originally retained by Horton. The record shows that Oler appeared with defendant Horton on December 19, 1969, when defendant was arraigned; on February 10, 1970, when he moved for a continuance; on March 9, 1970, when he again moved for a continuance; on June 8, 1970, when the case was called for trial and he advised the Court that certain motions were undisposed of and the case was continued and a date fixed for hearing the motions; on June 10, 1970, when the motions were heard. The judge’s docket entry of August 21, 1970, shows “* # * defendant has no attorney to represent him. His attorney, Mr. Oler, has moved from Springfield; Defendant admonished to retain attorney at once.” The record does not show any appearance by Appellant Oler after June 10, 1970. The Court’s docket entry made January 6, 1971, makes an order setting the case for trial and directs notice to the defendant and to “* * * John Casey, Attorney for the Defendant * * and as above indicated the defendant was in fact represented by Appellee Casey during the two ensuing trials.

The record further establishes that on June 8, 1970, Horton executed a Bail Bond Assignment which assigned to Attorney Oler all of his interest in the $1000 cash bail deposit as payment toward his attorney fees. The assignment was filed June 10, 1970. On March 15, 1971, Horton executed a second assignment which assigned to attorney Casey all of his interest in the same $1000 deposit as payment toward Casey’s attorney fees. This latter assignment was filed March 17, 1971.

On June 25, 1971, the trial court, by docket entry, ordered as follows: “Leave granted J. Casey, who claims preference of said bond funds, to file a petition setting forth basis of claim. Rule on Curtis Oler, who further claims preference to answer within 15 days thereafter # * *. Notice by Clerk to Mr. Casey and Mr. Oler ordered”. The trial judge, at this time assigned the issue to another judge for disposition. Following this docket order there were a series of motions and counter-motions, attorney Casey urging that prior to the assignment to him the trial judge had orally nullified the assignment to Oler and Oler denied that such an order existed. In any event, on July 21, 1971, the cause was continued to August 9, 1971, for the purpose of affording the parties an opportunity to present evidence.

On August 9th, hearing was had and the judge stated that Oler had been given notice of the hearing, and had informed the Court that he would not be present and the judge further observed that Oler “* * * has made an appearance through correspondence, briefs and motions all in writing and mailed to the Court.” At the hearing Horton was called as a witness and he testified as follows: That his arrangement with Oler for his representation on the two charges was for a fee of $1500. That he paid Oler $400 in cash and executed the bond assignment. That at a later date he received a call from Oler’s secretary who asked him to come to Oler’s office, which was at Fifteenth and Capitol in Springfield, Illinois, he did so and was told by the secretary that “Well, I got some papers I would like for you to sign. Mr. Oler will not be able to represent you, he has moved to California.” Horton testified that in response he asked “Well, do this — do this release my bond money?” to which the secretary replied, “Yes, it do”. Horton related that Oler’s secretary then signed two pieces of paper “* * * so I signed both papers. She said that this relieved my bond money too and that’s why I signed it over to Mr. Casey”. Horton further testified that he never talked to Oler about this, only to his secretary, he never received his file back, that Oler did not appear with him in Court in Madison County (to which the cause had been transferred for trial) that Oler had not told him that he would not appear and that he was left there in Court by himself. That he had not given Oler permission to withdraw as his counsel. Attorney Casey stated to the Court that at the time of the hearing in regard to the “indigency hearing” (which apparently refers to defendant’s appearance without counsel in the Circuit Court of Madison County on August 21, 1970) the trial judge stated that he no longer considered the assignment to Oler valid or in force and that he did not consider Horton to be indigent and directed him to procure counsel. That Horton then retained Casey and executed the second assignment. That before the commencement of the first trial on April 14, 1971, the trial judge, Judge Howard Lee White, made specific what he had done on the prior occasion and again stated that he was nullifying the assignment made to Oler.

At the conclusion of the August 9, 1971, hearing, the Court entered an order nullifying the assignment to Oler and finding that Casey was the assignee of the bond and directed payment of the bond deposit to Casey.

We have examined the various motions filed by appellant Oler in the trial court urging that he be awarded the funds in question. None of the motions are verified or supported by affidavit and it would serve no useful purpose to recite the voluminous charges, allegations and accusations set forth. We do note, however, that Oler stated in his motion filed July 19, 1971, that he represented Horton until October 1970, “at which time it became virtually impossible for counsel to continue said representation because of his cessation of residence in Springfield, Illinois, and removal to San Francisco, California, more than 2000 mües away * * *." Oler argues that procedural due process was violated because he was given no notice and thus no opportunity to be heard at the time of the oral orders made by Judge White in relation to the nullification of the bond assignment and it is true that no notice was given to Oler. In our view, however, since he was given notice of the August 9, 1971, hearing and thus a fuH opportunity to be heard no due process problem remains. AppeHant did not appear for oral argument in this Court. We are constrained to note, however, that the Statement of Facts and written argument contain many assertions which are entirely without support in the record.

We agree with appellant that the assignment to him of the bail bond proceeds was in exchange for a consideration. That consideration was appeHant’s agreement to represent the defendant through the conclusion of the legal proceedings initiated by the filing of the indictment.

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

Related

People v. Kleba
442 N.E.2d 605 (Appellate Court of Illinois, 1982)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
291 N.E.2d 844, 9 Ill. App. 3d 97, 1973 Ill. App. LEXIS 2781, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-horton-illappct-1973.