State v. Christensen, 32087

Decision Date10 April 1952
Docket NumberNo. 32087,32087
PartiesSTATE, v. CHRISTENSEN.
CourtWashington Supreme Court

George W. Young, Jack R. Dean, Spokane, for relator.

Hugh H. Evans, Pros. Atty., Ellsworth I. Connelly, Spokane, for respondent.

PER CURIAM.

This matter involves interpretation of Rule 26(a) of Rules of Pleading, Practice and Procedure, 34A Wash.2d 84, providing for the taking of depositions for the purpose of discovery.

An information was filed in the superior court of Spokane county charging the defendant with the crime of robbery. After the prosecuting attorney served on counsel for defendant a list of the state's witnesses, defendant filed and served on the prosecuting attorney a notice of intention to take depositions, before trial, of the state's witnesses for the purpose of discovery under the provisions of Rule 26(a). The prosecuting attorney then obtained an order directing defendant to show cause why he should not be restrained from issuing or attempting to issue subpoenas directed to the state's witnesses. This matter came before Honorable Charles W. Greenough, who entered an order restraining the issuance of such subpoenas.

Upon application of defendant an alternative writ of mandate was issued out of this court directing said Honorable Charles W. Greenough to make and enter an appropriate order vacating and setting aside his order hereinabove referred to, or in the alternative, to show cause on the 28th day of March, 1952, why he should not do so. The matter was heard March 28, 1952.

Rule 26(a), Rules of Pleading, Practice and Procedure, 34A Wash.2d 84, providing for taking the testimony of any person by deposition upon oral examination or written interrogatories for the purpose of discovery or for use as evidence in the action, or for both purposes, is applicable only in civil procedure and has no application in criminal procedure.

The application for a writ of mandate is denied, and the alternative writ heretofore issued out of this court is quashed.

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7 cases
  • State v. Pawlyk
    • United States
    • Washington Supreme Court
    • October 25, 1990
    ...very terms apply only to civil cases." State v. Gonzalez, 110 Wash.2d 738, 744, 757 P.2d 925 (1988) (citing CR 1; State v. Christensen, 40 Wash.2d 329, 242 P.2d 755 (1952) (CR 26 does not apply in criminal cases)). In Gonzalez, 110 Wash.2d at 744, 757 P.2d 925, we reasoned that "CrR 4.7 set......
  • Kardy v. Shook
    • United States
    • Maryland Court of Appeals
    • February 15, 1965
    ...1099, 1103; Setliff v. Commonwealth, 162 Va. 805, 173 S.E. 517, 519; Hackel v. Williams, 122 Vt. 168, 167 A.2d 364; State v. Christensen, 40 Wash.2d 329, 242 P.2d 755. See also, note, 48 Iowa L.Rev. ...
  • State v. Gonzalez, 54423-9
    • United States
    • Washington Supreme Court
    • June 16, 1988
    ...The difficulty with Gonzalez' argument is that the civil rules by their very terms apply only to civil cases. CR 1; State v. Christensen, 40 Wash.2d 329, 242 P.2d 755 (1952) (CR 26 is inapplicable to criminal cases). Admittedly, the civil rules can be instructive in matters of procedure for......
  • Reed v. Allen
    • United States
    • Vermont Supreme Court
    • June 16, 1959
    ...depositions in criminal cases. In both, the courts held that the rules had no application to criminal procedure. See State v. Christensen, 40 Wash.2d 329, 242 P.2d 755; Ex parte Denton, 1957, 266 Ala. 279, 96 So.2d We think that it is clear beyond all doubt that when the petitionees sought ......
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