Stubert v. County Court for County of Jefferson

433 P.2d 97, 163 Colo. 535, 1967 Colo. LEXIS 924
CourtSupreme Court of Colorado
DecidedSeptember 25, 1967
Docket22977
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 433 P.2d 97 (Stubert v. County Court for County of Jefferson) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Colorado primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Stubert v. County Court for County of Jefferson, 433 P.2d 97, 163 Colo. 535, 1967 Colo. LEXIS 924 (Colo. 1967).

Opinions

Mr. Justice McWilliams

delivered the opinion of the Court.

On January 22, 1967 one Steven Lee Stubert was arrested on the open road by a State Highway Patrolman, who then promptly proceeded to place Stubert in the county jail of Jefferson County. A few hours later Stubert was released from the county jail, and more-or-less contemporaneous with his release the patrolman issued Stubert a so-called “standard summons and complaint form.” In this “summons and complaint” Stubert was charged with violating the Motor Vehicle Code of the State of Colorado in several particulars. More specifically, Stubert was charged therein with driving seventy miles per hour [537]*537in a forty-five miles per hour zone; driving a motor vehicle while his license was suspended; driving a motor vehicle while under the influence of intoxicating liquor; and attempting to elude a police officer. The “summons and complaint” which was issued to Stubert, however, was unverified, and therein lies the root of this entire controversy.

Though the summons and complaint was unverified, it should be noted that it was signed by the arresting officer, who “stated” therein that “he has reasonable-grounds for believing that the aforementioned offense- or offenses was or were committed in fact, and was or were committed by the defendant against the peace and dignity of the People of the State of Colorado.” And the offenses referred to above were spelled out in detail.

When Stubert appeared in the county court of Jefferson County in response to these various charges, his counsel filed a motion to dismiss, contending that the county court was without jurisdiction to proceed because there was no verification of the summons and complaint. Upon hearing this motion was denied by the-Honorable Robert K. Willison, a county judge. It was at this juncture that Stubert brought an original proceeding-in this court, naming as respondents the county court for Jefferson County and the aforementioned Honorable Robert K. Willison. In response thereto we issued a rule-to show cause. The respondents have now filed their answer, and the matter awaits our determination.

In support of the contention that the summons and complaint issued Stubert is of no effect because it was-not verified, counsel relies primarily, although not exclusively, upon the Fourth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States and Article II, § 7 of the constitution of Colorado. Accordingly, reference will now be made to the aforementioned constitutional provisions.

The Fourth Amendment to the Constitution of the-United States provides as follows:

“Searches and seizures regulated. — The right of the [538]*538people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers and effects against unreasonable searches and seizures shall not be violated; and no warrant shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.” (Emphasis added.)

Article II, § 7 of the constitution of Colorado, provides as follows:

“Security of persons and property searches seizures warrants. — The People shall be secure in their persons, homes and effects, from unreasonable searches and seizures; and no warrant to search any place or seize any person or things shall issue without describing the place to be searched, or the person or thing to- be seized, as near as may be, nor without probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation reduced to writing.” (Emphasis added.)

The respondents’ position is that the aforementioned constitutional provisions have no application to the instant factual situation, and that on the contrary disposition of the present controversy is governed entirely by the Simplified Criminal Procedure for Trial of Misdemeanors, as set forth in 1965 Perm. Supp., C.R.S. 1963, 37-17-1, et seq., and by our recently adopted Rules of Criminal Procedure in the County Courts.

By way of additional background information, reference should be made to Article VI, § 21 of the Colorado constitution. This particular section, adopted by the People on November 6, 1962 to become effective on January 12, 1965, reads as follows:

“Rule making power. ■ — ■ The supreme court shall make and promulgate rules governing the administration of all courts and shall make and promulgate rules governing practice and procedure in civil and criminal cases, except that the general assembly shall have the power to provide simplified procedures in county courts for claims not exceeding five hundred dollars and the trial of misdemeanors.” (Emphasis added.)

[539]*539As already indicated, the General Assembly in 1964 enacted into law that which was denominated by that body as “Simplified Criminal Procedure for the Trial of Misdemeanors,” with the proviso that said law was to become effective on January 12, 1965. This particular legislative enactment now appears as 1965 Perm. Supp., C.R.S. 1963, 37-17-1, et seq.

Paralleling and supplementing this particular bit of legislation, this Court adopted on January 11, 1965, to become effective on January 12, 1965, a “Simplified Criminal Procedure for Trial of Misdemeanors,” which now appears as Rule 106, et seq., in the Rules of Criminal Procedure in the County Courts.

Some definition of our terms is now in order. 1965 Perm. Supp., C.R.S. 1963, 37-17-2, as well as Rule 106 (a) (4) of the Simplified Criminal Procedure for Trial of Misdemeanors, defines a “summons and complaint” as being a “single document containing all of the requisites of a summons and complaint.”

1965 Perm. Supp., C.R.S. 1963, 37-17-5, as well as Rule 106(c)(3) of the Simplified Criminal Procedure for Trial of Misdemeanors, then provides that any peace officer may issue a “summons and complaint” for an offense constituting a misdemeanor if the offense was committed in his presence or, if not committed in his presence, “concerning which he has reasonable grounds for believing was committed in fact and was committed by the person charged.”

1965 Perm. Supp., C.R.S. 1963, 37-17-7 and Rule 106 (c) (4) of the Simplified Criminal Procedure for Trial of Misdemeanors then go on to state that the aforementioned “summons and complaint” shall contain the following:

1. the name of the defendant; 2. the offense charged; 3. a citation of the statute alleged to be violated; 4. a brief statement or description of the offense charged, including the date and approximate location thereof; and 5. the direction that the defendant appear before a [540]*540specified county court at a stated date, time and place.

It should be noted that the foregoing statute, and rule, also provide that the summons and complaint may contain such other information “as is required by law for specific offenses,” but this proviso has no particular application in the present case.

Respondents contend that insofar as the foregoing statutes and rules are concerned there simply is no requirement that a “summons and complaint” when issued by a police officer be verified. There being then no such requirement, verification of the summons and complaint issued to Stubert was unnecessary, claim the respondents.

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556 A.2d 323 (Supreme Court of New Jersey, 1989)
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Stubert v. County Court for County of Jefferson
433 P.2d 97 (Supreme Court of Colorado, 1967)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
433 P.2d 97, 163 Colo. 535, 1967 Colo. LEXIS 924, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/stubert-v-county-court-for-county-of-jefferson-colo-1967.