State v. Marciniak

105 N.W. 965, 97 Minn. 355, 1906 Minn. LEXIS 701
CourtSupreme Court of Minnesota
DecidedFebruary 23, 1906
DocketNos. 14,652—(221)
StatusPublished
Cited by13 cases

This text of 105 N.W. 965 (State v. Marciniak) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Minnesota primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State v. Marciniak, 105 N.W. 965, 97 Minn. 355, 1906 Minn. LEXIS 701 (Mich. 1906).

Opinion

START, O. J.

On August 26,1905, the defendant, by a complaint in writing made in the municipal court of the city of Minneapolis, ivas charged with having unlawfully kept his saloon open oh Sunday, contrary to the ordinance of the city in such case made and provided, and “against the peace and dignity of the state of Minnesota.” Upon being arraigned, he moved the court to dismiss the action on the ground that the court had no jurisdiction of the case; that the provisions of the municipal court act, and of the ordinance, so far as relevant to this case, were unconstitutional, and, further, that the complaint did not state facts sufficient to charge the commission of an offense cognizable by the municipal court. The motion was denied, the defendant excepted to the ruling, and entered a plea of not guilty. He demanded a trial by jury, which was also denied, and he excepted. The cause was tried by the court without a jury, the defendant found guilty and adjudged to pay a fine of $25, and in default thereof be imprisoned in the workhouse of the city until the fine is paid, not exceeding the term of thirty days. He appealed from the judgment.

The here material provisions of the ordinance, which was approved April 6, 1899, are as follows:

That every saloon and the bar of every tavern, inn, and other place where liquors are sold by the glass or drink shall be closed and kept closed during the whole of every Sunday, and of every day of a general state or city election, and during the time of any riot or disturbance-; and no persons shall sell any spirituous, vinous, fermented or malt liquors or beverages within the limits of said city on any Sunday, or on any day of a general state or [357]*357city election before the closing of the polls, nor at any time sell or give away any such liquors or beverages to any minor or habitual drunkard.

A violation of the ordinance is punishable by fine not less than $25 nor more than $100, or by imprisonment not less than thirty days, nor more than ninety days. Minneapolis Charter and Ordinances, p. 683, §§ 9,13.

1. The complaint states facts sufficient to constitute an offense under this ordinance, and does not charge the defendant with a violation of any criminal statute of the state. The concluding words of the complaint, “against the peace and dignity of the state of Minnesota,” are surplusage, for it is only indictments that must so conclude. Const, art. 6, § 14.

2. Logically the first question to be considered is the validity of this ordinance, assuming for the present that it does not violate any of the provisions of the state or federal constitution. The defendant urges two general objections to the ordinance:

First. That the city council was not authorized by the city charter to pass any ordinance of the character of this one; but, were it otherwise, the ordinance is void because in fixing the penalty for its violation the charter provisions were not followed.

Second. The statute (G. S. 1894, § 1999 [Laws 1887, p. 129, c. 81, § 1]) revoked the authority to pass the ordinance given prior thereto by the charter, if any was given, and, further, that the ordinance is repugnant to the statute because it imposes a different penalty for its violation than the one prescribed by the statute for a violation of the statute.

All of these objections, except, possibly, one, have been determined adversely to the defendant by the decisions of this court. State v. Ludwig, 21 Minn. 202; State v. Harris, 50 Minn. 128, 52 N. W. 387, 531; State v. Lindquist, 77 Minn. 540, 80 N. W. 701; City of Jordan v. Nicolin, 84 Minn. 367, 87 N. W. 915. We adhere to these decisions.

The possible exception to which we refer is the objection of the defendant to the effect that the ordinance is invalid because it imposes a penalty not authorized by the charter. The charter of the city authorizes the council to impose punishments for the violation of the ordinances of the city

[358]*358To the extent of a fine not exceeding one hundred dollars, and imprisonment in the city prison or county jail not exceeding ninety days or both. Minneapolis Charter and Ordinances, p. 50, § 6.

The penalty for a violation of the ordinance here in question is a fine not less than $25 nor more than $100, or by imprisonment not less than thirty days nor more than ninety days. It is just as certain that the penalty imposed by the ordinance is within “the extent” or limit imposed by the charter as it is that the greater includes the less. The charter simply fixes a limit beyond which the city council may not go in imposing penalties, but “to the extent” of the limit it is expressly authorized to go. The objection is without merit. The ordinance is valid.

3. The next contention of the defendant to be considered is that municipal court act (Sp. Taws 1874, p. 362, c. 141) § 1, has conferred no jurisdiction upon the municipal court to hear and determine this case. The here material part of the section is in these words:

It shall also have exclusive jurisdiction to hear all complaints and conduct all examinations and trials in criminal cases, arising or triable within the city of Minneapolis, heretofore cognizable before a justice of the peace.

The argument in support of the claim that the municipal court had no jurisdiction of this case is to the effect that there was no such offense as keeping a saloon open on Sunday prior to the enactment of this section; therefore it was not cognizable before a justice of the peace. This is too narrow a construction of the grant of jurisdiction, and one which, if accepted, would result in most serious consequences to the city of Minneapolis. If the defendant’s construction be accepted, then every existing ordinance of the city passed since 1874 and every one which hereafter may be passed for the purpose of conserving the peace and good order of the city will be shorn of their virility and they may be violated with impunity, for the municipal court is the only tribunal in which it is practicable to enforce their penalties. Clearly such is neither the reasonable nor the permissible construction of the grant of power to the municipal court. The words “heretofore cognizable before a justice of the peace” manifestly refer not to particular offenses, but to a [359]*359class of criminal cases theretofore cognizable before a justice of the peace. All criminal cases where the punishment is limited to a fine of $100 or three months’ imprisonment have been cognizable before a justice of the peace ever since the state had an existence. Const, art. 6, § 8; G. S. 1866, c. 65, § 131. We therefore hold that the municipal court of the city of Minneapolis had jurisdiction to hear and determine all criminal cases arising or triable within the city where the punishment in case of conviction cannot exceed a fine of $100 or three months’ imprisonment.

4. The defendant assigns and urges a group of alleged errors to the effect that so much of Sp. Taws 1889, p. 601, c.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
105 N.W. 965, 97 Minn. 355, 1906 Minn. LEXIS 701, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-marciniak-minn-1906.