Taylor v. Mosley

178 N.E.2d 55, 87 Ohio Law. Abs. 335, 17 Ohio Op. 2d 439, 1961 Ohio Misc. LEXIS 300
CourtCuyahoga County Juvenile Court
DecidedOctober 30, 1961
DocketNo. 194868
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 178 N.E.2d 55 (Taylor v. Mosley) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Cuyahoga County Juvenile Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Taylor v. Mosley, 178 N.E.2d 55, 87 Ohio Law. Abs. 335, 17 Ohio Op. 2d 439, 1961 Ohio Misc. LEXIS 300 (Ohio Super. Ct. 1961).

Opinion

Woldman, J.

The complainant, an unmarried woman, has instituted a bastardy proceeding against the defendant. The examination of the complainant was held on May 9, 1961, in accordance with Section 3111.04, Revised Code. At this preliminary hearing the defendant entered a plea of “not guilty,” and the matter is now pending for trial.

Subsequently, counsel for the complainant served upon the defendant a subpoena duces tecum ordering the defendant to [338]*338appear in the office of complainant’s counsel for a deposition as if on cross-examination, under the statute.

On July 8, 1961, a hearing was scheduled to be held in the office of complainant’s counsel before N. Robert Day, Deputy Clerk of Cuyahoga County, Ohio. The defendant was called for cross-examination and was then and there duly sworn to be a witness to testify, and complainant’s counsel proceeded to interrogate the defendant regarding the issues between complainant and defendant in this case.

Whereupon defendant’s counsel objected to having defendant 11 ‘ being called on constitutional grounds, as a witnéss against himself.” Defendant’s counsel stated, “He (the'defendant) will consent to testify. However, we want the record to show that it is over our objections.”

Under cross-examination by complainant’s counsel, the defendant answered the following questions:

“State your name.”
“Where do you reside?”
“How long have you lived there?”
“How long have you lived in Cleveland?”
“How old are you?”
“Are you married?”

However, when asked, “And what is Mrs. Mosley’s name?,” the defendant refused to answer the question, “on the grounds that it might tend to incriminate me. ’ ’

Subsequently, defendant did answer these questions:

“Do you have any children?”
“What is your profession?”
“What college did you attend?”
“When did you graduate?”
The defendant then refused to answer the questions:
“Is this your first marriage?”
“Then you have the one child?”
“Are you acquainted with the plaintiff in this case, Miss Mildred Taylor?”
“Do you know where Deering’s Restaurant is?”, on the grounds that “It might tend to embarrass or incriminaio me.”

The defendant also refused to answer other questions pro[339]*339pounded to him by complainant’s attorney when objected to by defendant’s counsel on grounds that they were immaterial, irrelevant, impertinent.

Two issues are now before this Court for determination:

1. An application by the Deputy Clerk of Cuyahoga County, who presided over the taking of the deposition of defendant for rulings pertaining to defendant’s refusal to answer certain questions addressed to him by complainant’s counsel, on grounds that said questions and answers that might be elicited thereby, would tend to incriminate him — in violation of his rights protected by the Constitutions of the United States and of the State of Ohio. The deputy clerk’s- application, for instructions (found on Page 16 of the record) reads as follows:

“The undersigned, being unable to determine fully his duty in the premises, and to decide whether or not the questions and the answers sought to be elicited thereby are competent, relevant and material to the issues between the plaintiff and the defendant and are such questions as the said witness CHARLES E. MOSLEY should be obliged to answer, respectfully requests the instructions of this Plonorable Court in the premises, and in particular whether or not the foregoing unanswered questions should be answered by said witness.”

2. Motion by defendant for a supplementary cross-examination of the complainant, on grounds that “the court failed to accord defendant the type of cross-examination contemplated by Sections 3111.04 and 3111.05, Revised Code; and that the court dismiss with prejudice the complaint herein upon plaintiff’s failure to comply.”

The Fifth Amendment of the United States Constitution provides as follows:

“No person . . . shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself.” (Emphasis supplied.)

Article 1, Section 10, Ohio Constitution:

“No person shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself; but his failure to testify may be considered by the court and jury and may be made the subject of comment by counsel.” (Emphasis supplied.)

If the present action were a “criminal case,” there would be no question whatever that it would be reversible error to permit the defendant to be called by counsel for complainant [340]*340and, over his objection, be compelled to testify against himself.

But is a bastardy proceeding a ‘ criminal case ? ’ ’ And may an accused in a bastardy case, over his objection, be called for cross-examination and be compelled to testify at the request of complainant’s attorney?

The Courts of Appeals of Ohio appear to be in conflict over this question.

Thus, in the case of Schneider v. State, ex rel Shorf, 33 Ohio App., 125, Court of Appeals of Cuyahoga County, decided October 7, 1929, the court ruled that in a bastardy proceeding, it was reversible error to permit the defendant to be called by counsel for the complainant and over his objection be compelled to testify against himself. The court’s reasoning in this ease seems to be based principally on the contention that a bastardy action is “in many respects more criminal than civil, in that the start of the proceedings is by filing an affidavit or complaint with a magistrate and having a warrant issued . . . the initiation of these proceedings is in a measure criminal . . . unless accused gives bail he is sent to jail . . . the verdict of the jury is either guilty or not guilty ...”

7 Ohio Jurisprudence, 2d, Section 64, Page 488 explains:

“While a Court of Appeals has held that a bastardy proceeding is a quasi-criminal action, which is sufficiently criminal in nature to make it reversible error to compel a defendant to testify against himself over his objection (Schneider v. State [Shorf] 33 Ohio App., 125) later cases have refused to follow this view.” State, ex rel. Simons, v. Kiser, 46 Ohio Opinions, 11; (73 Abs 364); State, ex rel. Hetzler, v. Snyder, 63 Ohio Law Abs., 42.”

In the case of Perkins v. Mobley, 4 Ohio St., 669, Judge Ranney, referring to a bastardy proceeding, said:

“In many of the states, begetting a bastard child is made an offense, and punished by indictment; but in this state (Ohio) it is not so.”

In State, ex rel. Johnson, v. Mooney,

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Related

Williams v. Cooper
272 A.2d 700 (Connecticut Appellate Court, 1970)
Crawford v. Hasberry
186 N.E.2d 522 (Cuyahoga County Juvenile Court, 1962)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
178 N.E.2d 55, 87 Ohio Law. Abs. 335, 17 Ohio Op. 2d 439, 1961 Ohio Misc. LEXIS 300, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/taylor-v-mosley-ohjuvctcuyahoga-1961.