State ex rel. Botsford Lumber Co. v. Taylor

147 N.W. 72, 34 S.D. 13, 1914 S.D. LEXIS 75
CourtSouth Dakota Supreme Court
DecidedApril 27, 1914
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 147 N.W. 72 (State ex rel. Botsford Lumber Co. v. Taylor) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering South Dakota Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State ex rel. Botsford Lumber Co. v. Taylor, 147 N.W. 72, 34 S.D. 13, 1914 S.D. LEXIS 75 (S.D. 1914).

Opinion

SMITH, P. J.

At the December, 19x3, term of the circuit court of Kingsbury county, the grand jury returned an indictment against the Bo-tsford Lumber Company, a corporation, charging unfair discrimination in violation of chapter 131, Laws -of 1907. -Certain proceedings were had to bring the defendant corporation before the court -to answer said charge, which the court held to be unauthorized, but which are not -material to any -question presented at this time. Thereafter, the circuit court directed t-h-e issuance of a -summons which -was duly -served on an officer of the corporation, and which required the defendant to appear before the circuit -court on the 2d of March, 1914, at 10 o’clock a. m., to answer the indictment. The summons recited the impaneling of the grand jury, the return of the indictment, and a full statement of its -contents.

On the return day, the defendant corporation appeared [17]*17specially by counsel, and objected .to further proceedings, on the ground that the service of a summons did not give the court jurisdiction of the defendant, for the reason that the statutes of this ' state do not authorize the issuance of a summons upon an indictment. The objection was overruled, and the defendant failing further to appear or plead, a plea of not guilty was entered by direction of the court, pursuant to section 566, Code of Criminal Procedure. On motion of the state’s attorney, the cause was set for trial at the regular April, 1914, term of the circuit court. Thereupon, the plaintiff, the Botsford Lumber Co. filed in this court, its verified application for a writ of prohibition, alleging that the circuit court was attempting to act without jurisdiction of the person of plaintiff, and demanding that it be enjoined from further proceedings in said cause.

[1, 2] The record discloses that no preliminary examination was had either upon a presentment by a grand jury, or on an information filed before a magistrate, nor any certificate returned of sufficient cause to believe the corporation guilty of the offense charged, prior to the finding of the indictment. Plaintiff’s contention is that the trial court was without jurisdiction or authority to issue a summons or other process requiring the corporation to appear and answer a criminal charge, except upon an indictment after proceedings prescribed by chapter 6 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, as amended by chapter 87 of the Laws of 1905.

This chapter, as amended, provides for a preliminary examination upon a presentment by a grand jury, or on an information filed before a magistrate, a hearing thereon, and a certificate of probable cause, the submission of the matter to a grand jury and the return of an indictment. .

Sec. 7 of the Penal Code provides: “This code specifies the ' classes of persons who are deemed capable of crimes and •liable to punishment therefor; and defines the nature of the various crimes; and prescribes the kind and measure of punishment to be inflicted for each; the manner of prosecuting and convicting criminals is regulated by the Code of Criminal Procedure.” Sec. 15 provides: “The following persons are liable to punishment under the laws of this state: 1: All persons who commit in whole or in part, any crime within this state.” Sec. 822 Penal [18]*18Code. “The word ‘person’ includes corporations as well as natural persons.” Section 183 of the Code of Criminal Procedure 'provides that: “The grand jury has power and it is their duty, to inquire into all public offenses committed or 'triable in the ■county or subdivision, and to present them to the court, either by presentment or indictment or accusation in writing.” Under these provisions of the Code, this court held in State v. Security Bank of Clark, 2 S. D. 538, 51 N. W. 337: that: “The Code of Criminal Procedure is applicable to all persons natural or artificial, in respect to the manner of commencing criminal actions. Sec. 7211 makes it the duty of the grand jury ‘to inquire into all public offenses committed or triable in the county, and to present them to the court, either by presentment or indictment or accusation in writing.’ There is no distinction as to their duty to investigate between natural persons and corporations, and whatever evidence will justify either an indictment or presentment against an individual will justify an indictment or a presentment against a corporation.” And “The grand jury may indict a corporation in the first instance as they may indict an individual.” We adhere' to the view announced in that case. U. S. v. Alaska, etc. Ass’n., 1 Alaska, 217; Bishop’s New Crim. Proc., § 417; People v. Rochester Ry. & L. Co., 195 N. Y. 102, 88 X. E. 22, 133 Am. St. Rep. 770, 21 L. R. A. (N. S.) 998, notes; People v. Equitable Gaslight Co., 5 N. Y. Supp. 19.

Under the statutes’ of this state, there are three modes in which a criminal proceeding against a corporation may originate. First. By indictment by a grand jury, in the first instance. Second. Through the return of a presentment by a grand jury, and a hearing before a magistrate. Third. By an information filed before a magistrate, and a preliminary examination. When the proceeding is by presentment or information before- a magistrate, a summons may issue, as provided by section 560, Code Crim. Proc., requiring the corporation to appear before the magistrate, at a specified time and place, to answer, the charge. When the proceeding is begun in either of the modes last named, the state’s attorney may himself, file an information in the circuit court, or he may submit the matter to a grand jury and have an indictment returned. A corporation' is incapable of arrest or physical restraint, and cannot be compelled to appear and answer to a criminal charge. [19]*19It is, however, a well settled principle of law, that courts may acquire jurisdiction over a corporation by notice or writ constituting due process of law, so far as to pronounce legal judgment against it upon its failure or refusal to appear. Plaintiff’s contention is that no process exists in this state which may issue after the filing of the indictment or information.

A careful examination of chapter 6 of the Code of Crim. Proc. as amended by chapter 87, Laws of 1905, and the Code of Crim. Proc. reveals the fact that the statutes contain no special provision for process against a corporation upon- any indictment, either with or without preliminary examination, nor upon an information filed by the state’s attorney. Sections 560 and 561 of the Code of Criminal Procedure as amended, providing for the issuance of summons, have application only to the preliminary hearing before the magistrate.

Plaintiff’s contention is, in effect, that while a corporation may be criminally liable under the laws of this state, and an indictment may be returned by a grand jury, or an information may be filed by the state’s attorney, yet the accused corporation can never be brought to trial in a circuit court because, in the absence of an express statute authorizing it, the trial court is powerless to issue summons or process, service of which will confer personal jurisdiction of the corporation. If plaintiff’s contention must be sustained, it follows that the courts of this state are powerless to try corporations for any violation of the criminal laws of the state. It is perfectly clear that corporations may be guilty of crime, under the laws of this state. It is likewise clear, that the courts are given jurisdiction over such crimes, and that a corporation may be charged therewith, either by indictment or information.

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

Related

State v. Hy Vee Food Stores, Inc.
533 N.W.2d 147 (South Dakota Supreme Court, 1995)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
147 N.W. 72, 34 S.D. 13, 1914 S.D. LEXIS 75, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-ex-rel-botsford-lumber-co-v-taylor-sd-1914.