People v. Kubasiak

296 N.W.2d 298, 98 Mich. App. 529, 1980 Mich. App. LEXIS 2774
CourtMichigan Court of Appeals
DecidedJuly 2, 1980
DocketDocket 47476
StatusPublished
Cited by29 cases

This text of 296 N.W.2d 298 (People v. Kubasiak) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Michigan Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
People v. Kubasiak, 296 N.W.2d 298, 98 Mich. App. 529, 1980 Mich. App. LEXIS 2774 (Mich. Ct. App. 1980).

Opinions

J. H. Gillis, J.

The defendant was charged with felonious assault, MCL 750.82; MSA 28.277, breaking and entering with the intent to commit felonious assault, MCL 750.110; MSA 28.305, and first-degree criminal sexual conduct, MCL 750.520b(1)(f); MSA 28.788(2)(1)(f). A preliminary examination was held on September 12, 1978, at the conclusion of which the defendant was bound over for trial on all three charges.

Prior to trial, the defendant moved in the circuit court to quash the information. The motion was denied in an order dated June 14, 1979. The defendant thereafter sought leave to appeal to this Court. The application for leave to appeal was granted in an order dated December 21, 1979. GCR 1963, 806.2.

The defendant contends on appeal that the evidence adduced at the preliminary examination was insufficient to support the magistrate’s decision to bind him over on any of the above charges.

It is the duty of the examining magistrate to bind a defendant over for trial if it appears that a crime has been committed and there is probable cause to believe that the defendant committed it. MCL 766.13; MSA 28.931, People v Asta, 337 Mich 590, 609-610; 60 NW2d 472 (1953). While positive proof of guilt is not required, there must be evidence on each element of the crime charged or evidence from which those elements may be inferred. People v Oster, 67 Mich App 490, 495; 241 NW2d 260 (1976). A magistrate’s determination at the preliminary examination should not be disturbed unless a clear abuse of discretion is demon[533]*533strated. People v Doss, 406 Mich 90, 101; 276 NW2d 9 (1979).

Our initial inquiry is whether the people presented sufficient evidence to support the magistrate’s finding that the crime of first-degree criminal sexual conduct contrary to MCL 750.520b(l)(f); MSA 28.788(2)(l)(f) had been committed.

MCL 750.5201 MSA 28.788(12) provides:

"A person does not commit sexual assault under this act if the victim is his or her legal spouse, unless the couple are living apart and one of them has filed for separate maintenance or divorce.”

The defendant’s wife is the alleged victim of the criminal sexual conduct charge. The defendant contends that the marital relationship precludes a finding that first-degree criminal sexual conduct had been committed.

The defendant argues that the inter-spousal immunity of MCL 750.5201 extends to all forms of criminal sexual conduct; in particular, first-degree criminal sexual conduct. The people argue that the statute’s use of the term sexual "assault” indicates that inter-spousal immunity extends only to those acts of criminal sexual conduct which involve an assault, i.e., assault with intent to commit criminal sexual conduct, MCL 750.520g; MSA 28.788(7).

Where the language of a statute is plain and unambiguous, judicial construction thereof is precluded. Lansing v Lansing Twp, 356 Mich 641, 648-649; 97 NW2d 804 (1959). Where, as here, the statute is reasonably subject to two or more interpretations, the proper interpretation must be ascertained by reference to the canons of judicial construction. King v Director of Midland County Dep’t of Social Services, 73 Mich App 253, 258; 251 NW2d 270 (1977).

[534]*534Criminal statutes are strictly construed. A defendant cannot be convicted under the language of a statute unless his acts are clearly and unequivocally uncompassed by its terms. People v Lyons, 93 Mich App 35, 43; 285 NW2d 788 (1979). The rule is most often employed in determining what actions come within the scope of a statutory prohibition. If there is doubt as to whether the act charged is embraced in the prohibition, that doubt is to be resolved in favor of the defendant. This principle is based on the idea of notice to the defendant. People v Ellis, 204 Mich 157, 161; 169 NW 930 (1918).

This principle also reflects the premise that it is the job of the Legislature to define criminal offenses. Restraint by the courts in interpreting criminal statutes works to avoid judicial infringement of that legislative function. No principle is more universally settled than that which deprives all courts of authority to infer, from their judicial ideas of policy, crimes not defined by statute or by common-law precedent. Ware v Branch Circuit Judge, 75 Mich 488, 491; 42 NW 997 (1889), quoted in People v Willie Johnson, 75 Mich App 221, 225; 255 NW2d 207 (1977).

These principles are supportive of the interpretation urged by the defendant. Case law prior to the adoption of the criminal sexual conduct act held that a man could not be guilty of raping his wife. See People v Pizzura, 211 Mich 71; 178 NW 235 (1920). To adopt plaintiffs interpretation of MCL 750.5201 would subject the defendant to punishment for a crime which is neither clearly defined by statute nor defined at all by common-law precedent. This cannot be done without wholly violating the above principles of construction. As such, we hold that MCL 750.5201 is properly inter[535]*535preted to mean that an actor does not commit first-through-fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct if the victim is his or her legal spouse unless the parties are living apart and one of them has filed for separate maintenance or divorce.

We note that this interpretation is consistent with our perception of the legislative intent underlying MCL 750.5201. We have examined the various extrinsic aids cited by the parties which relate to such legislative intent and conclude that while the Legislature intended that the criminal sexual conduct act strengthen the criminal law describing unlawful sexual conduct, People v Nelson, 79 Mich App 303, 319; 261 NW2d 299 (1977), it did not intend to extend such strengthening as far as is argued by the plaintiff. See, generally, Note: Michigan’s Criminal Sexual Assault Law, 8 U Mich J Law Ref 217, 232-233 (1974), Note: Criminal Law— Sexual Offenses — A Critical Analysis of Michigan’s Criminal Sexual Conduct Act, 23 Wayne L Rev 203, 210 (1976), 1979 Michigan Second Revised Criminal Code, § 2340 and comments thereto.

An examination of the record in the present case discloses that, while it is undisputed that the parties were living apart at the time of the offense, it is similarly undisputed that neither had filed an action for divorce or separate maintenance. On these facts we must conclude that MCL 750.5201 applies and precludes a finding that the first-degree criminal sexual conduct had been committed.1 The magistrate’s determination to the contrary constitutes an abuse of discretion.

We next consider whether the people presented sufficient evidence at the preliminary examination [536]*536to support the magistrate’s findings that the crimes of felonious assault and breaking and entering with intent to commit felonious assault had, in fact, been committed and that there existed probable cause to believe that the defendant committed them.

In answering this question we must first address an evidentiary matter. It is well-settled that an examining magistrate may consider only legally admissible evidence in reaching a decision to bind a defendant over for trial. People v Walker, 385 Mich 565; 189 NW2d 234 (1971).

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

Related

People of Michigan v. Casey Lavern Olney
Michigan Court of Appeals, 2020
State v. Derouin
64 P.3d 35 (Court of Appeals of Washington, 2003)
State v. Marcy
680 A.2d 76 (Supreme Court of Vermont, 1996)
State v. Robar
601 A.2d 1376 (Supreme Court of Vermont, 1991)
People v. Hall
460 N.W.2d 520 (Michigan Supreme Court, 1990)
State v. Lander
582 A.2d 128 (Supreme Court of Vermont, 1990)
People v. Oliver
427 N.W.2d 898 (Michigan Court of Appeals, 1988)
People v. Hawkins
404 N.W.2d 662 (Michigan Court of Appeals, 1987)
People v. Johnson
398 N.W.2d 219 (Michigan Supreme Court, 1986)
People v. WOODLAND OIL CO., INC.
396 N.W.2d 541 (Michigan Court of Appeals, 1986)
People v. Abernathy
396 N.W.2d 436 (Michigan Court of Appeals, 1985)
State v. Paquette
497 A.2d 358 (Supreme Court of Vermont, 1985)
People v. Kenneth Smith
371 N.W.2d 496 (Michigan Court of Appeals, 1985)
People v. Kenan
375 N.W.2d 389 (Michigan Court of Appeals, 1985)
Pascals v. Berrien County Prosecutor
360 N.W.2d 243 (Michigan Court of Appeals, 1984)
People v. Matthews
333 N.W.2d 371 (Michigan Court of Appeals, 1983)
Hewitt v. Grand Trunk Western Railroad
333 N.W.2d 264 (Michigan Court of Appeals, 1983)
Hurst v. DEPT. OF CORRECTIONS, PAROLE BOARD
325 N.W.2d 615 (Michigan Court of Appeals, 1982)
People v. JD WILLIAMS
324 N.W.2d 70 (Michigan Court of Appeals, 1982)
People v. Jansson
323 N.W.2d 508 (Michigan Court of Appeals, 1982)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
296 N.W.2d 298, 98 Mich. App. 529, 1980 Mich. App. LEXIS 2774, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-kubasiak-michctapp-1980.