State v. Robertson

313 P.2d 342, 63 N.M. 74
CourtNew Mexico Supreme Court
DecidedJuly 3, 1957
Docket6201
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 313 P.2d 342 (State v. Robertson) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering New Mexico 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. Robertson, 313 P.2d 342, 63 N.M. 74 (N.M. 1957).

Opinions

SADLER, Justice.

The defendant as an appellant before this Court complains of a decree of the district court of Bernalillo County instituted pursuant to the provisions of 1953 Comp., §§ 40-34 — 15 to 40-34 — 19 enjoining her from using and maintaining certain premises described in the complaint for purposes of lewdness, assignation or prostitution and calling upon her to give a bond in the sum' of $5,000 conditioned upon her abiding by the terms of such decree in all respects.

The proceeding out of which this appeal arises was instituted in the district court of Bernalillo County by the district attorney of the second judicial district of the State of New Mexico. It was heard on the State’s complaint and an order to show cause served on the defendant following filing of the complaint.

The defendant’s only pleading up to the time of trial was a motion to dismiss, which, at opening of the trial, the court overruled. Thereupon the trial proceeded at the conclusion of which the court made findings of fact and conclusions of law, as follows:

“Findings of Fact
"I. That the Respondent, Mary Robertson is the lessee of the premises located at Route 3, Box 163, Bridge Street, SW, Albuquerque, New Mexico, known as the Hide Away Cafe, and is the holder of an occupation license for the operation of a cafe.
“II. That the Respondent, Juan Blea, is the owner of the premises located at Route 3, Box 163, Bridge Street, SW, Albuquerque, New Mexico, and known as the Hide Away Cafe.
“III. That lewdness, assignation, and prostitution have been conducted, permitted, continued, and exist at the premises known as the Hide Away Cafe.
“IV. That Mary Robertson has used, occupied, established, maintained, and conducted a place, to-wit: The Hide Away Cafe, upon which lewdness, assignation or prostitution has been and now is conducted,. permitted and continued, and has been in control of said premises.
“Conclusions of Law
“I. That a nuisance exists at the Hide Away Cafe, Route 3, Box 163, Bridge Street, S. W., Albuquerque, New Mexico, as defined in Section 40-34-15, NMSA1953.
“II. That Mary Robertson, respondent herein, is in control of such nuisance.

A careful review of the evidence satisfies us it affords substantial support for the findings made, rendering quite proper the conclusions of law deduced from them. Based upon the findings and conclusions so made, the trial court entered its order of injunction as follows:

“* * * Now, Therefore, it is hereby ordered, that Respondent, Mary Robertson, be and she hereby is enjoined from using, occupying, establishing or maintaining the premises and building known as the Hide Away Cafe and located at Route 3, Box 163, Bridge Street, SW, Albuquerque, New Mexico, or any other premises or buildings within the County of Bernalillo, State of New Mexico, for purposes of lewdness, assignation or prostitution.
“It is further ordered that Respondent, Mary Robertson, post with the Clerk of this Court a $5,000.00 bond, conditioned upon her abiding by the above order in all respects.!’

Within a few days after entry of its judgment, as aforesaid, the defendant filed a motion asking the court to set aside the judgment entered against her upon the ground the Petition for Injunction failed to state a claim upon which relief could be granted and the further ground, the trial court exceeded its jurisdiction in requiring from her a $5,000 bond conditioned upon her obeying the order of injunction. This motion having been overruled by the court, the defendant duly has prosecuted an appeal to this Court from the judgment so entered against her.

The first ground upon which she attacks the judgment is that the allegations in the complaint of “lewdness, assignation or prostitution” are mere conclusions of law, and expose the petition to a fatal defect in this, that it fails to set “forth the facts constituting such nuisance” as the district attorney was moving against, all as required by 1953 Comp., § 40-34-17. State v. Johnson, 26 N.M. 20, 188 P. 1109, 1110, is relied upon as an authority for this claim of error. The allegations specifically assailed in State v. Johnson, supra, are as follows:

“* * * w. Johnson was engaged in practicing osteopathy in the county of Bernalillo without having first obtained a license as required by law, and that such practice constitutes. a nuisance, and is dangerous, detrimental, and injurious * *

These allegations were held to be mere ■conclusions. But in the court’s opinion the following was quoted with approval from 29 Cyc. 1241, to-wit:

“Averments of mere conclusions are insufficient, and so, where the thing complained of is not a per se nuisance, the facts which make it such must be averred, and a mere averment that it is or will be a nuisance is not sufficient.”

There is this distinction between the Johnson case and this one. In the Johnson case, the court was not dealing with a nuisance per se. This distinction is pointed ■out in the quotation from 29 Cyc. 1241, above. But where, as here, the nuisance ■complained of is one, per se, and so denounced in the statute, it is sufficient to .allege its existence in the language of the statute. In 1953 Comp., § 40-34-15, it is ;said:

“Nuisance shall mean any place upon which lewdness, assignation or prostitution is conducted, permitted, continued or exists.”

In 33 Am.Jur. 24, it is said:

“Extreme particularity is not neces•sary in charging the offense of lewdness. The indictment is sufficient if there is such a degree of certainty as -will afford the accused protection in the exercise of his legal rights in making a defense, and will also furnish a record of conviction or acquittal that may be interposed if he is indicted a second time for the same offense. Usually, if an indictment is brought under a statute against lewdness which sets forth the necessary elements of the offense, the offense may be charged in the language of the statute.”

In Carpenter v. State ex rel. Hains, 194 Ga. 395, 21 S.E.2d 643, 646, the court said:

“The petition alleges in substance facts which the statute, Code, 872-301, et seq., declares to be a public nuisance abatable in the manner here employed. A cause of action is alleged, and the judgment overruling the general demurrer is not error as contended.”

In a California case, People ex rel. Bradford v. Arcega, 49 Cal.App. 239, 193 P. 264, 265, the court said:

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State v. Robertson
313 P.2d 342 (New Mexico Supreme Court, 1957)

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Bluebook (online)
313 P.2d 342, 63 N.M. 74, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-robertson-nm-1957.