State v. Harris

• Decision Date: 13 March 1894
• Citation: 19 S.E. 154,114 N.C. 830
• Parties: STATE v. HARRIS.
• Court: North Carolina Supreme Court

19 S.E. 154

114 N.C. 830

STATE v. HARRIS.

Supreme Court of North Carolina

March 13, 1894

Appeal from superior court, Granville county; Winston, Judge.

Appeal in forma pauperis by Charles Harris. Dismissed.

To entitle one to appeal in forma pauperis, his affidavit must allege that the appeal is taken in good faith, and that the affiant is advised by counsel that there is a reasonable ground for the appeal.

J. W. Graham, for appellant.

The Attorney General and T. T. Hicks, for the State.

CLARK, J.

The case states that the defendant prayed an appeal to the supreme court, and, "upon filing his affidavit of his inability to give security for the cost of the appeal," was allowed to appeal in forma pauperis. These are almost the very words used in State v. Jones, 93 N.C. 617, in which the motion of the attorney general to dismiss was allowed. The subject is discussed, and this precedent is followed, in the late case of State v. Jackson, 112 N.C. 849, 16 S.E. 906. Had the recital been simply that, "upon affidavit filed," defendant is allowed to appeal without giving bond, there would, perhaps, have been a presumption that the affidavit contained the statutory requirements; but when the substance or purport of the affidavit is set out, and the court sees that it is insufficient, the appeal must be dismissed. An appeal without giving bond is only allowable in cases provided by statute. It is for the legislature to provide the requirements and restrictions as to such appeals, and, when not complied with, the courts have no right to disregard the statute. State v. Rhodes, 112 N.C. 856, 16 S.E. 930. In such cases the motion of the attorney general to dismiss is not a matter of discretion, but a right. State v. Morgan, 77 N.C. 510; State v. Payne, 93 N.C. 612; State v. Jackson, 112 N.C. 850, 16 S.E. 906. If the defendant had proper ground for a certiorari, he should have moved for it before the cause was reached for argument. State v. Rhodes, 112 N.C. 857, 17 S.E. 164. He will not be allowed to obtain a delay of six months by his own laches in this regard. It is not improper to say that, looking into the record, there appears to have been no error, even if the case had been here regularly. Appeal dismissed.