State v. Fleming

156 N.W.2d 485, 38 Wis. 2d 365, 1968 Wisc. LEXIS 903
CourtWisconsin Supreme Court
DecidedFebruary 27, 1968
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 156 N.W.2d 485 (State v. Fleming) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Wisconsin Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State v. Fleming, 156 N.W.2d 485, 38 Wis. 2d 365, 1968 Wisc. LEXIS 903 (Wis. 1968).

Opinion

Hanley, J.

The issues on this appeal are as follows: (1) Whether the order of the trial court is appealable under sec. 958.12 (1) (d), Stats.; (2) whether the evidence was sufficient to submit to the trier of fact.

Appealability of the Order.

Sec. 958.12 (1) (d), Stats., allows the state to appeal from any judgment adverse to the state upon questions of law arising on the trial with the permission of the trial judge. An order dismissing the action after jeopardy has attached is a final determination of the rights of the parties within the meaning of sec. 270.53, defining “judgment” and is appealable if it presents a question of law. See Last v. Puehler (1963), 19 Wis. 2d 291, 120 N. W. 2d 120, in which the court held that an order sustaining a demurrer and dismissing the complaint amounts to a final determination of the rights of the parties to the action and is appealable as a judgment.

The question then is whether the trial court’s determination was a legal one involving a question of law rather than one of fact. It is respondent’s position that the appeal must be dismissed on the authority of State v. Gecht (1962), 17 Wis. 2d 455, 117 N. W. 2d 340, because the trial court ruled on his motion to dismiss as both the trier of fact and trial judge. In Gecht the court stated as follows at page 462:

“Where the trial court makes an ultimate determination of not guilty and where, as here, there is no claim of procedural error against the state during the course of trial but where, as here, the trial court in making his ultimate determination does so principally in his capacity as the trier of fact, then any errors on questions of [368]*368law announced by the court that may have been a basis for his decision are not reviewable. In appraising the lower court’s determination, any doubts as to whether the trial court is acting in the capacity of trier of fact are to be resolved in favor of the defendant. Only in this way will he be assured the protection that the constitutional guaranty against double jeopardy provides.
“In the instant case the trial court was ruling principally in his capacity as trier of fact and since for that reason his determination is not reviewable here we are not required to pass on the two additional elements that the state contends the trial court erroneously required the state to prove to win a conviction. . . .”

The court reviewed the trial court’s reasons for the determination of not guilty and upon concluding that it acted principally as the trier of fact dismissed the appeal.

In the case at bar, the trial court gave several indications that its ruling was on the sufficiency of the evidence, which, under the rule of State v. Kennedy (1962), 15 Wis. 2d 600, 113 N. W. 2d 372, is a question of law.

“Now the test; I knew there was a recent case setting forth this test and I found it. Our court has laid down in 28 Wis. (2d) at Page 160 in Welsher v. State the test it is my duty to apply in ruling on this motion for dismissal, and at Page 166 of that decision Justice Fairchild makes this statement for the court. It is a unanimous decision with Justice Gordon taking no part as it was a decision of his as Circuit Judge that was being appealed. ‘An accurate statement of the rule for testing the sufficiency of the evidence on a motion to dismiss,’ in a criminal case (I interpolate the phrase ‘in a criminal case’ because this is a criminal case) ‘as well as on appeal, is “whether the evidence adduced, believed and rationally considered by the jury, was sufficient to prove the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.” ’
“So the test now is is there evidence, credible evidence —that is believable evidence, evidence which in the light of reason and common sense is to be believed — is there evidence here upon which this court could find without [369]*369hearing any defense, could find this defendant guilty of any or either of the offenses charged.”

And at the conclusion of its opinion, the following was stated:

“So I now find for the reasons stated that the evidence adduced is not sufficient to prove the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt as to any or either of the counts in the information and, therefore, the motion of the defendant for a dismissal of each and all of the counts contained in the information is granted.”

The opinion also summed up the testimony of each witness and made the following conclusions:

“. . . Well, now, on the basis of that man’s [Mr. Schumacher’s] testimony is there anything there that an honest minded trier of the fact can find beyond a reasonable doubt that Ray Fleming authorized or directed or connived or did anything in connection with or in relation with his Deputy Schumacher which ended up in the files, the conviction reports charged in this information not being sent?
“. . . And for me to draw an inference that because Mr. Fleming on some unknown dates, on some unknown occasions, asked for some unnamed files from a deputy [Ruth Lemezis], to draw an inference that thereby he kept them and he took them for the purpose of withholding them from being sent to Madison doesn’t make sense to me. That is not a reasonable inference. The State asks me to draw it; I cannot and will not draw it. And I do not believe that any other trier of the fact, whether it was a jury or who it was, could reach such a conclusion.
“. . . But I think Mr. Bukiewiez’ testimony can best be disposed of by making a finding that he was completely an unreliable witness and I place no credence whatsoever in his testimony. I do not believe it and in considering it, I hope rationally, I find that it has no probative effect whatsoever.”

Summing up the testimony of the witnesses Schu-macher, Lemezis, Bukiewiez, and Zalewski, the court stated as follows:

[370]*370“Now, on that I am asked to draw an inference beyond a reasonable doubt that Eay Fleming asked for those reports for the purpose of withholding them from being forwarded to the Motor Vehicle Department, that they were not so forwarded, and that they were some of the seven reports listed in counts 3 through 9 of the information. I could not even make a finding of that kind in a civil case; I do not think that evidence would sustain a finding in a civil case where the quantum of proof is only to a reasonable certainty by the greater weight of the credible evidence. Clearly it would not sustain, in my judgment, a finding of guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.”

John W. Thompson, director of the driver control division of the motor vehicle department, testified to the identity of the seven conviction reports on which the seven counts against the defendant are based. Each report on its face shows that it reached the department several months after the conviction occurred. On redirect examination, a document signed by Thompson was admitted into evidence which recited that the conviction reports of 47 named persons were received late from the defendant. The accuracy of the document was undermined to the extent that counsel for the state withdrew it. The court summed up his testimony as follows:

“. . And I took a recess so that those 31 original conviction reports could be assembled in proper chronological order and marked for identification.

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Related

State v. Newman
459 N.W.2d 882 (Court of Appeals of Wisconsin, 1990)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
156 N.W.2d 485, 38 Wis. 2d 365, 1968 Wisc. LEXIS 903, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-fleming-wis-1968.