State v. Veres

436 P.2d 629, 7 Ariz. App. 117, 1968 Ariz. App. LEXIS 335
CourtCourt of Appeals of Arizona
DecidedJanuary 29, 1968
Docket1 CA-CR 102
StatusPublished
Cited by23 cases

This text of 436 P.2d 629 (State v. Veres) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Arizona primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State v. Veres, 436 P.2d 629, 7 Ariz. App. 117, 1968 Ariz. App. LEXIS 335 (Ark. Ct. App. 1968).

Opinion

STEVENS, Judge.

This appeal relates to a judgment of guilt as to two counts, each charging the uttering and passing of an insufficient funds check, and to the sentence in connection therewith. The defendant was initially granted probation and more than two years later the probation was revoked whereupon he was sentenced. The appeal presents a question as to the timeliness of the appeal from the judgment of guilt. There are the usual questions relating to an appeal after a trial and the unusual question relating to the right of the Superior Court to dismiss the first appeal.

On 29 December 1962, the defendant entered into a lease arrangement for a trailer making his deposit thereon by check. On 2 January 1963, he entered into a lease arrangement with the same party for a truck-tractor to pull the trailer, again making his deposit by check. The checks were presented to the bank and were not honored due to insufficient funds. The vehicles were not returned. On 30 January 1963 the defendant was charged with a two count complaint in the Justice Court, one count charging grand theft (embezzlement) of the trailer and one count charging grand theft (embezzlement) of the truclc-tractor. On the same day in the same Justice Court, he was charged with another two count complaint, each count relating to one of the checks. All counts were alleged to be felonies. The applicable law in relation to insufficient funds checks was then set forth in A.R.S. Section 13-316, as amended by Chapter 109 of the Laws of 1960. This section has been further amended.

At all times material to this appeal the defendant was represented by counsel of his own choice. They will be designated as attorney no. 1, attorney no. 2 and attorney no. 3. Attorney no. 1 appeared before the Justice of the Peace with the defendant and the preliminary hearing was waived as to all four counts. The defendant was bound over and released on bond. On 1 March 1963, Information No. 41696 was filed in the Superior Court charging the two counts of grand theft (embezzlement) and Information No. 41697 was filed charging the two check counts. Pleas of not guilty were entered. The sixty day trial period was waived. The defendant was continued on bond. The two criminal causes were consolidated for trial. We are not concerned in this opinion with the grand theft (embezzlement) charges in view of the fact that the jury returned not guilty verdicts with reference to both of these counts when the matter eventually came for trial.

The consolidated causes were first called for trial on Friday, 24 May 1963. The Superior Court Judge then presiding was a Judge other than Judge Stanford. The minutes of 24 May 1963 recite, in part:

“2:25 p. m. This matter having been regularly set for trial and called for trial at this time, and the defendant having failed to appear, it is ordered forfeiting defendant’s bail. * * * Counsel stipulate that a jury may be chosen at this time.
* * * * * *
*120 “Counsel exercise their pre-emptory challenges, the jury list is stricken and the following twelve persons were duly selected and sworn to act as trial jurors in this cause: * * *
“The jury is admonished and Court stands at recess until 9:30 A.M. Tuesday May 28, 1963.”

As ordered, the consolidated causes were again called on 28 May 1963 and the minutes for that date recite, in part:

“ * * * Defense counsel moves for motion to continue on the grounds and reasons defendant is not present and whereabouts of defendant is unknown to defense counsel.
“State objects to continuance.
“ORDER declaring mis-trial in this case and referring the case to the Court Administrator for further disposition and setting.
ij< #
“State objects to granting of mis-trial.
ífc l{í
“Court has declared a mis-trial. Jury is discharged.”

The consolidated causes were next called for trial on 27 December 1963 after one continuance had been granted at the request of the State and one had been granted at the request of the defendant. The defendant testified during this two day trial. The jury returned verdicts finding the defendant guilty as to both check counts and not guilty as to both grand theft (embezzlement) counts. The minute entry judgment of guilt being controlling, State v. Dowthard, 92 Ariz. 44, 373 P.2d 357 (1962); State v. Chance, 4 Ariz.App. 38, 417 F.2d 551 (1966); State v. Arce, 6 Ariz.App. 241, 431 P.2d 681 (1967), we quote the minutes of 15 January 1964:

“IT IS ORDERED denying Motion for New-Trial IT IS THE JUDGMENT of this Court that you, - Wm. J. Veres, are guilty of the crime of Drawing Check on Insufficient Funds Account, Two Counts.”

The same minutes disclose that the defendant was placed on probation for a five year period.

A notice of appeal was timely filed. On 31 March 1965, a written motion to dismiss the appeal was filed in the Superior Court by attorney no. 1, who had represented the defendant at all times up to this point in the proceeding, and a different Superior Court Judge signed the order of dismissal.

In the spring of 1966, Judge Stanford instituted proceedings in relation to a revocation of probation. At these proceedings the-defendant was represented by attorney no. 2. On 11 May 1966, the issues were resolved against the defendant, his probation was revoked and the minutes reflect the following sentence:

“IT IS THE SENTENCE OF THIS COURT that you, WILLIAM J. VERES, be imprisoned in the Arizona State Prison at Florence, Arizona, for a period of not less than two (2) years nor more than two and one-half (21^) years, commencing this date.”

On the following day, attorney no. 3, who continues to represent the defendant in connection with this appeal, filed a notice of appeal, in part, as follows:

“COMES NOW the Defendant, WILLIAM JAMES VERES, and gives this Notice of Appeal from the judgment of guilty and from the conviction in this, cause, from an order denying a motion for new trial, and from an illegal and excessive sentence.”

WAS THE FIRST APPEAL PROPERLY DISMISSED?

The defendant urges that he did not consent to the dismissal of the first appeal. The record does not contain any proof that attorney no. 1 acted improperly.

The defendant urges that there was no jurisdiction in the Superior Court to dismiss the appeal. The general rule is. that once an appeal has been perfected, the Superior Court loses jurisdiction to enter any orders except those in aid of the appeal. There are exceptions and we hold that *121 under the circumstances hereinafter set forth, the Superior Court did have jurisdiction to dismiss the appeal. The record before us does not disclose that the 1964 appeal was ever lodged in the Arizona Supreme Court. In 1964 the Court of Appeals had not come into being.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
436 P.2d 629, 7 Ariz. App. 117, 1968 Ariz. App. LEXIS 335, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-veres-arizctapp-1968.