Public-domain · open source
OpenJurist

255 U.S. 450

Ex parte Riddle

Supreme Court of the United States

Argued February 28, March 1, 1921.

Decided March 21, 1921.

Supreme Court of the United States · decided 1921-03-21

Held: that the decisions could have been reviewed upon a bill of' exceptions by writ of error. Id. Rule discharged; petition denied. Petition for a mandamus to require a district judge to correct the record in a criminal case. The facts are stated in the opinion. Mr. John London and Mr. Benjamin Carter for petitioner. The Solicitor General and Mr. Erie Pettus, with whom Mr. W. C. Herron was on the brief, for respondent.

2 counsel of record

Key passage — most relied on by later courts

“He [appellant] might have saved the point by an exception at the trial or by a bill of exceptions to the denial of his subsequent motion, setting forth whatever facts or offers of proof were material, and then have brought a writ of error. Nolle v. Oyster, 230 U. S. 165 , 177. In such cases mandamus does not lie. Ordinarily, at least, it is not to be used when another statutory method has been provided for reviewing the action below, or to reverse a decision of record. Ex parte Morgan, 114 U. S. 174 ; Ex parte Park Square Automobile Station, 244 U. S. 412 , 414. In this case the facts were more or less clearly admitted at the argument but the record does not establish them and the extent of agreement or dispute with regard to them does not change the remedy to be sought.”

quoted by 1 later decision, including Riddle v. Dyche

Relies on Nalle v. Oyster · Ex Parte the Park Square Automobile Station · Ex parte Morgan

Good law ✅— No negative treatment on recordhow we know

Petition denied / appeal dismissed · 9–0 · Decided 1921-03-21

How this case has been cited

Cited by 71 later decisions (18 by the Supreme Court) — most recently February 1959 · most notably Roche v. Evaporated Milk Ass'n (1943), Maryland v. Soper (1926)

24 federal appellate · 3 district · 15 state decisions

2501921193019401950decided

Later decisions citing this case, by decade. The current decade is in progress, and our corpus holds fewer opinions from the most recent years, so the latest bars are undercounted — not a real decline.

View the full empirical analysis of this case →

¶1ON PETITION. FOR WRIT OF MANDAMUS.

¶2Original.

¶31. Mandamus does not lie where there was an adequa ° remedy by . writ of error. P. 451.

¶42. A defendant, convicted of a felony and sentenced in the District Court, moved during the term to have the record corrected to show that, by agreement" with the district attorney, he was. tried by eleven jurors, and to set aside the judgment for that reason, but the court held the record sufficient, rejected evidence offered to the contrary, and denied both motions. Held, that the decisions could have been reviewed upon a bill of' exceptions by writ of error. Id.

¶5Rule discharged; petition denied.

¶6Petition for a mandamus to require a district judge to correct the record in a criminal case.

¶7The facts are stated in the opinion.

¶8Mr. John London and Mr. Benjamin Carter for petitioner.

¶9The Solicitor General and Mr. Erie Pettus, with whom Mr. W. C. Herron was on the brief, for respondent.

¶10Mr. Justice Holmes

¶11delivered the opinion of the court.

¶12The petitioner was indicted for a violation of § 215 of the Criminal Code of the United States by a use of the mails in furtherance of a scheme to defraud. This is a felony, § 335, and .therefore, we assume, must be tried by a jury of twelve. The petitioner was tried, convicted and sentenced, the record stating that “to try this cause come a jury of goqd and lawful men duly impaneled, sworn and *451charged a true verdict to render according to the law and the evidence.” During the term the petitioner filed a motion setting forth that as the result of an agreement between himself and the District Attorney’the case was tried before a jury of eleven, and asking to have the record corrected to show the fact. There was also another motion to set aside the judgment on this ground. The record recites that after hearing the evidence and argument the Court being of opinion that the record is as it should be, and does not need amendment, denies the motion, and similarly denies the motion to set aside the judgment. The record discloses exceptions to both orders but sets forth no grounds. No exception to the jury seems to have been taken nor does the fact alleged or the exclusion of any evidence competent to prove it appear of record in any form.

¶13The petitioner now comes here asking for a mandamus to correct the judge’s conclusion and setting forth evidence offered in support of his motion that was rejected and that he says should have been received. He might have saved the point by an exception at .the trial or by a bill of exceptions to the denial of his subsequent motion, setting forth whatever facts or offers of proof were material, and then have brought' a. writ of error. Nalle v. Oyster, 230 U. S. 165, 177. In such cases mandamus does not lie. Ordinarily, at least, it is not to be used when another statutory method has been provided for reviewing the r ction below, or to reverse a decision of record. Ex parte Morgan, 114 U. S. 174; Ex parte Park Square Automobile Station, 244 U. S. 412, 414. In this case the facts were more or less clearly admitted at the argument but the record does not establish them and the extent of agreement or dispute with "regard to them does not change the remedy to be sought.

¶14Rule to show cause discharge i.

¶15Writ denied.

/255/us/450 · .json · Public domain