United States v. Ticknor

377 F. Supp. 347, 1974 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 12592
CourtDistrict Court, E.D. Tennessee
DecidedJanuary 25, 1974
DocketCrim. A. No. 18180
StatusPublished

This text of 377 F. Supp. 347 (United States v. Ticknor) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, E.D. Tennessee primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
United States v. Ticknor, 377 F. Supp. 347, 1974 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 12592 (E.D. Tenn. 1974).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM

ROBERT L. TAYLOR, District Judge.

Defendant, Richard Sorrells Ticknor, is charged .in a two-count indictment with willfully and knowingly failing and neglecting to comply with an order of his local board to report for and to submit to induction into the Armed Forces of the United States on October 19, 1972 and December 6, 1972. (50 App.U.S.C. § 462.)

The parties have submitted to the Court stipulations as to all material issues of fact, together with briefs of law.1 Additionally, the Government and defendant, by his retained counsel, E. Michael Ellis, have agreed that the decision by the Court on the briefs, stipulations and exhibits will determine the guilt or innocence of the defendant on the charges contained in the indictment, and the appropriate waiver has been executed.

The record discloses the following pertinent facts: Defendant duly registered with his local draft board in 1964 and from that time until 1969 was classified II-S. Upon graduation from college he was classified I-A but upon proper application was reclassified II-A due to his status as teacher in the public school system of Nansemond County, Virginia. In February, 1972, defendant resigned from his teaching position and on March 21, 1972 he was re-classified I-A.

On September 11, 1972, Ticknor was sent Selective Service Form 252 instructing him to report for induction on October 19, 1972. Thereafter, he visited the secretary of the board and, according to his subsequent letter, was told that there was nothing he could do.

[349]*349On October 25, defendant wrote the board reminding them that he had been married in July and was attempting to adopt his wife’s child by a previous marriage. He further stated that he had. inquired into the possibility of obtaining a III-A deferment but that the inquiry was met with skepticism. Additionally, defendant related the emotional impact that his reclassification and induction notice had on himself, his wife and his mother, who was then caring for his recently widowed grandmother. In conclusion, Ticknor requested the board to cancel the induction order and allow him time to submit evidence regarding his deferment status. Defendant’s wife likewise wrote a letter explaining the family situation and requested that he be granted a III-A deferment.

On October 17, the board met and considered defendant’s request. Letters from defendant’s father, mother, minister, and close friend were reviewed in addition to those already submitted by the registrant and his wife. Those submitted by the mother, father, and minister reflect the fact that defendant’s mother depended upon him for physical assistance and emotional encouragement due to the fact that since the death of defendant’s grandfather the sole care of the widowed grandmother has rested upon her. The board concluded that the evidence submitted did not merit reopening of defendant’s classification. Accordingly, the board informed defendant’s mother of their decision and advised defendant, by letter dated October 18, 1972, that he was to report for induction on October 19, 1972 as previously ordered.

Defendant failed to appear for induction on October 19, and by letter dated November 6, 1972, the board advised him that if he failed to present a reason for his non-appearance, it would report him to the United States Attorney as a violator.

On November 18, 1972, defendant advised the board that he failed to appear as ordered because he was some 800 miles from Tennessee visiting friends when his daughter became too ill to travel. The letter continued:

“At this time I am requesting that you re-issue my induction order for a date in December so that I will have another chance to report for induction. I am quite willing to abide by your decision concerning my request for a III-A deferment. All I am asking is that I be given another chance to report for induction so I will not be declared delinquent and reported to the U. S. Attorney.”

Pursuant to this request, the Executive Secretary notified Ticknor on November 29, 1972 to report on December 6, 1972 (hereafter called letter order). However, defendant again failed to report as ordered and by letter dated December 7, 1972, defendant advised the board of reasons of his not reporting. In essence the letter stated that having sought advice of counsel, he was under the impression that the recent amendments to the regulations exempted him from induction upon reaching age twenty-six. This criminal action was then instituted against defendant as a violator.

The issues presented are:

(1) Whether the file of the defendant, Richard Ticknor, was reopened by Local Board No. 1 after September 12, 1972 and before October 19,1972?

(2) If the answer to No. 1 is “Yes,” was defendant subject to induction on December 6, 1972, since he had attained age twenty-six on November 1, 1972, some twenty-eight days before the letter order was forwarded defendant ?

(3) If the answer to Issue No. 1 is “No,” did the board excuse defendant’s failure to appear on October 19, 1972 by issuing the letter order of November 29, 1972?

(4) If defendant’s non-appearance of October 29 was excused by the letter order, did he violate the Selective Service Laws by his failure to report on December 6, 1972 ?

The record clearly reflects that defendant was classified I-A on March 21, [350]*3501972 and was thereupon advised of his right to appeal the. classification within fifteen days. No appeal was taken. Defendant informed the board of his desire to seek a III-A deferment for the first time after the board had issued Selective Service Form 252 ordering him to report for induction on October 19, 1972. Accordingly, he was precluded from seeking a re-classification under Title 32 C.F.R. Part 1624 and was required to proceed under Title 32 C.F.R. Part 1625.2

The first question, therefor, is whether Local Board No. 1 reopened defendant’s classifications, or in the alternative if it did not, whether such procedure was required under the applicable regulations. From the facts presented in the record, we find that the board did not reopen defendant’s classification and further find that such reopening procedure was not required.

In order for a registrant to obtain a reopening of his classification after he has received a form notice to report for induction, he must not only present to the board nonfrivolous allegations of fact which were not previously considered at the time he was classified and which state a prima facie case for re-classification, but the facts presented must result from circumstances over which the registrant had no control. Title 32 C.F.R. § 1625.2; Mulloy v. United States, 398 U.S. 410, 90 S.Ct. 1766, 26 L.Ed.2d 362 (1970). If the registrant satisfies these requirements the board must reopen his classification.

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Related

Mulloy v. United States
398 U.S. 410 (Supreme Court, 1970)
United States v. Thomas Robert Hosmer
434 F.2d 209 (First Circuit, 1970)
United States v. Edward Lewis Lane, Jr.
442 F.2d 415 (Ninth Circuit, 1971)
United States v. Michael D. Wood
446 F.2d 505 (Ninth Circuit, 1971)
United States v. Donald Charles Jenson
450 F.2d 1258 (Ninth Circuit, 1971)
United States v. David Greene
456 F.2d 256 (Ninth Circuit, 1972)
United States v. Ronald James Clark
468 F.2d 708 (Third Circuit, 1972)
Brede v. Allen
311 F. Supp. 599 (N.D. Ohio, 1969)

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Bluebook (online)
377 F. Supp. 347, 1974 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 12592, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-ticknor-tned-1974.