Edward Lewis v. United States

Citation30 S.Ct. 438,216 U.S. 611,54 L.Ed. 637
Decision Date28 February 1910
Docket NumberNo. 202,202
PartiesEDWARD G. LEWIS, Plff. in Err., v. UNITED STATES
CourtU.S. Supreme Court

Messrs. Shepard Barclay and Thomas T. Fauntleroy for plaintiff in error.

Solicitor General Bowers and Assistant Attorney General Harr for defendant in error.

Per Curiam:

Lewis was indicted December 1, 1905, in the district court of the United States for the eastern district of Missouri, charged with depositing certain letters in a post-office of the United States in pursuance of a scheme to defraud, in violation of § 5480 of the Revised Statutes (U. S. Comp. Stat. 1901, p. 3696).

General orders continuing all pending criminal cases were thereafter entered at each term until November 5, 1907, when plaintiff in error, defendant below, moved for a discharge from the accusations of the indictment, upon the ground that his right to a speedy trial had been denied. The court ordered that unless the cause should be proceeded with at that term the motion would be sustained; but later all pending criminal cases were again continued by general order.

At the following May term, defendant below again filed a motion to discharge, and the United States attorney asked leave to enter a nolle prosequi. Defendant's motion was overruled and the nolle prosequi entered, releasing and discharging defendant from further prosecution upon the indictment. A motion to set aside the nolle prosequi was made and overruled, and this writ of error direct to this court sued out under § 5 of the act of March 3, 1891. [26 Stat. at L. 827, chap. 517, U. S. Comp. Stat. 1901, p. 549.]

It thus appears that this is an appeal by a person indicted for crime from an order of the court releasing and discharging him from further prosecution under the indictment. Plaintiff in error could not complain until he was made to suffer (Ohio ex rel. Lloyd v. Dollison, 194 U. S. 445, 48 L. ed. 1062, 24 Sup. Ct. Rep. 703), and when discharged from custody he is not legally aggrieved, and therefore cannot appeal (Com. v. Graves, 112 Mass. 282; Anglo-American Provision Co. v. Davis Provision Co. 191 U. S. 376, 48 L. ed. 228, 24 Sup. Ct. Rep. 93). The indictment having been dismissed, the question as to plaintiff in error's constitutional right to a speedy trial is not involved in such a real sense as to give this court jurisdiction (Lampasas v. Bell, 180 U. S. 276, 45 L. ed. 527, 21 Sup. Ct. Rep. 368) for certain violations of § 5480 of the Revised...

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25 cases
  • U.S. v. Rosenberg
    • United States
    • U.S. District Court — Southern District of New York
    • May 10, 2000
    ...1377 (1956) (holding defendant has no right to appeal dismissal unless and until reindicted and convicted); Lewis v. United States, 216 U.S. 611, 30 S.Ct. 438, 54 L.Ed. 637 (1910) (defendant not legally aggrieved by nolle prosequi and, therefore, had no right to appeal). Even had she been r......
  • United States v. Ford
    • United States
    • U.S. Court of Appeals — Second Circuit
    • August 6, 1956
    ...the issue is not currently appealable and the pending appeal as to Count 1 must accordingly be dismissed. Lewis v. United States, 216 U.S. 611, 30 S.Ct. 438, 54 L.Ed. 637; United States v. Swidler, 3 Cir., 207 F.2d 47, certiorari denied 346 U.S. 915, 74 S.Ct. 274, 98 L.Ed. 411. Cf. Berman v......
  • Parr v. United States, 15612.
    • United States
    • U.S. Court of Appeals — Fifth Circuit
    • October 17, 1955
    ...82 L.Ed. 204; Cobbledick v. U. S., 309 U.S. 323, 60 S.Ct. 540, 84 L.Ed. 783; U. S. v. Swidler, 3 Cir., 207 F.2d 47; Lewis v. U. S., 216 U.S. 611, 30 S.Ct. 438, 54 L.Ed. 637; Heike v. U. S., 217 U.S. 423, 30 S.Ct. 539, 54 L.Ed. 821; McLish v. Roff, 141 U.S. 661, 12 S.Ct. 118, 35 L.Ed. 893; E......
  • William G., In re
    • United States
    • Nebraska Supreme Court
    • April 23, 1999
    ...is not legally aggrieved and therefore cannot appeal. See State v. Sports Couriers, Inc., supra (citing Lewis v. United States, 216 U.S. 611, 30 S.Ct. 438, 54 L.Ed. 637 (1910)). Likewise, a juvenile who has been released from commitment and no longer has any further contact with the Office ......
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