Seibert v. Ferguson

205 P.2d 484, 167 Kan. 128, 1949 Kan. LEXIS 270
CourtSupreme Court of Kansas
DecidedApril 26, 1949
DocketNo. 37,708
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 205 P.2d 484 (Seibert v. Ferguson) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Kansas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Seibert v. Ferguson, 205 P.2d 484, 167 Kan. 128, 1949 Kan. LEXIS 270 (kan 1949).

Opinion

The opinion of the court was delivered by

Smith, J.:

This is an original petition for habeas corpus. The respondent filed his return, whereupon the parties stipulated that the facts as set out in the petition and the return were the actual facts. The case was submitted for final determination on the petition for a writ and the respondent’s return.

Petitioner, Robert Dean Seibert, was born May 7, 1934. At the time the events with which we are interested transpired he was fourteen years of age. He was found to be a juvenile delinquent in the juvenile court of Sherman county, Kansas, on August 4, 1948, and on that date was committed to the Boys’ Industrial School at Topeka, to which he was admitted August 12, 1948. He remained at [129]*129that school until October 15,1948. On October 15,1948, he escaped from the Boys’ Industrial School and together with three other inmates rode a freight train to Kansas City, Kan.; in the railroad yards there the next morning he, together with his companions, was taken into custody by the police; they admitted they had escaped from the Boys’ Industrial School the day before, whereupon the police delivered them to the custody of the probation officer of the probate court of Wyandotte county early in the morning of October 16, 1948. The probation officer advised the superintendent of the school by phone, was told that these boys had escaped, and the probation officer told the superintendent they would be held in the custody of that officer until Monday or Tuesday of the following week, when they would be returned to the school. Sometime during October 17, 1948, one Gertrude Hutchison, the matron of the detention home, where petitioner was being held, was murdered by being strangled with a scarf. On October 18 a complaint charging petitioner with the crime of murder was filed in the city court of Kansas City, Kan., by the county attorney of Wyandotte county. A warrant was duly issued for the arrest of petitioner and he was arrested. He was arraigned in the city court and ordered held without bond and at the same time an order appointing two reputable attorneys, members of the bar of Wyandotte county, were appointed by the court to defend him. He was ordered held in the custody of the jailer of Wyandotte county, Kansas, until discharged by due course of law. On October 26, his preliminary hearing was continued until November 9, 1948. On that date the judge of the city court of Kansas City, Division No. 2, ordered him held for trial for the crime charged in the warrant and complaint without bond, these orders being made after his attorneys had announced in open court they desired to waive a preliminary hearing. The commitment was thereupon issued directing the jailer of Wyandotte county jail to hold petitioner in his custody until discharged by law. On November 18 an information was filed in the district court of Wyandotte county, Kansas, charging petitioner with murder in the first degree. On November 24, the case was continued until the December, 1948, term upon request of counsel for petitioner. On December 7, 1948, the district court appointed the same two attorneys who had represented petitioner at the preliminary hearing to represent him in district court, pursuant to G. S. 1947 Supp. 62-1304. On December 18, 1948, counsel for petitioner filed a motion in the district court chal[130]*130lenging the jurisdiction of that court to try the cause and asking the court to remand it to the juvenile court for determination. On December 30, 1948, the judge of the district court, before whom the case was pending, denied this motion and continued the case to the March, 1949, term. March 4, 1949, an amended information was filed by the county attorney of Wyandotte county, Kansas, and on March 7, 1949, the case was set for trial. The answer of respondent sets out some details as to the circumstances surrounding the murder of Gertrude Hutchison. We are not concerned with those details here since the only question with which we are concerned is the jurisdiction of the district court to try petitioner and that turns altogether upon our construction of the statutes.

Counsel for petitioner filed this petition for a writ. On account of the youth of petitioner we entertained the, petition for a writ rather than permit the trial to proceed and leave the question of jurisdiction to be raised on appeal.

Counsel for petitioner argue that on account of the age of the petitioner the only tribunal before which he could be tried is the juvenile court of Wyandotte county. They base this argument upon the provisions of what is known as our juvenile court law, being G. S. 1935, 38-401 to 38-432, inc. This chapter inaugurated a new policy in Kansas as to the manner with which juvenile delinquents should be dealt. We considered the general purpose of the act in Burris v. Board of Administration, 156 Kan. 600, 134 P. 2d 649. There we said:

“This state has long been among the leaders in humanitarian approach to the problems of juvenile delinquents. Nor is this to say that there are not, perhaps, other forward steps which might well be taken. In 1879 the legislature provided for the erection of a ‘state reform school’ building (Laws 1879, ch. 170). In 1881 was enacted the first organic act relating to this ‘state reform school’ (Laws 1881, ch. 129). Though'the name of the school was subsequently changed to ‘Boys’ Industrial School’ fundamental provisions of the original act have been retained. The institution is fundamentally parental and educational in character. Boys are committed to it who are under sixteen years of age and who have committed offenses or found to be incorrigible (G. S. 1935, 76-2104, 76-2105). Boys so committed remain until they are twenty-one years old, unless sooner discharged as provided by statute (G. S. 1935, 76-2109). A similar institution for girls — Girls’ Industrial School — was established in 1889. At these schools every characteristic of penal institutions is avoided as far as possible. There are no stout enclosures, no armed guards, no provisions for control by force. To set up those instrumentalities would destroy the very atmosphere and spirit with which the state seeks to surround the boys. Schooling, including occupational and trade courses, and other helpful training is [131]*131provided. Most of the boys prove amenable to its care and discipline and the school is justly proud of the many fine citizens who received constructive training within its walls and on its campus.” (p. 604.)

The first section of the act, chapter 190, Laws 1905, now G. S. 1935, 38-401, made the judge of the probate court in each county the juvenile court judge in that county and gave him jurisdiction over all cases concerning “dependent, neglected and delinquent” children. The second section, G. S. 1935, 38-402, defined “dependent” child and “neglected” child and amongst these definitions we find it provided that the word “delinquent” child should include “any child under the age of sixteen years of age who violates any law of this state or any city, town or village ordinance.” The third section, G. S. 1935, 38-403, provided for the appointment of probation officers and defined their authority. The fourth section, G. S. 1935, 38-404, provided for the filing of petitions calling the court’s attention to any “delinquent” or “dependent” child. The fifth section, G. S. 1935, 38-405, provided for a hearing and for notice. The sixth section, G. S. 1935, 38-406, provided for a continuance of the hearing and for the child being held in the custody of some person other than the jailer.' The seventh section, G. S.

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Related

State v. Pritchett
567 P.2d 886 (Supreme Court of Kansas, 1977)
State v. Young
552 P.2d 905 (Supreme Court of Kansas, 1976)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
205 P.2d 484, 167 Kan. 128, 1949 Kan. LEXIS 270, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/seibert-v-ferguson-kan-1949.