Case Title: STATE EX REL PASCHKE v DISTRICT C

Citation: 

Docket Number: 

State: montana

Court: Montana Supreme Court

Date: 1973-08-23T00:00:00Z

Document:
No. 12483 I N T H E S U P R E M E C O U R T O F THE STATE O F MONTANA 1973 THE STATE O F M O N T A N A ex r e 1 J O N WILLIAM P A S C H K E and JOHN A R N O L D M A S O N , Relators, THE DISTRICT C O U R T O F THE THIRTEENTH JUDICIAL DISTRICT OF T H E STATE O F M O N T A N A e t a l , Respondents. ORIGINAL PROCEEDING: Counsel of Record: For Relator : Sandall, Moses and Cavan, Billings, Montana. D. Frank Kampfe argued, Billings, Montana. For Respondents : Hon. Robert L. Woodahl, Attorney General, Helena, Montana. J . C . Weingartner, Assistant Attorney General, appeared, Helena, Montana. Harold F. Hanser, County Attorney, argued, Billings, Montana. Submitted: March 29, 1973 Decided: 2 3 18- Filed : AUG 2 3 7973 Hon. Jack Shanstrom, d i s t r i c t judge s i t t i n g for Chief Justice James T. Harrison, delivered the Opinion of the Court. This i s an original proceeding seeking a w r i t of supervisory control over the d i s t r i c t court of the thirteenth judicial d i s t r i c t , Yellowstone County, and the Hon. C. B. Sande, presiding judge. Petition was f i l e d by relators Jon William Paschke and John Arnold Mason, seeking continuance of a t r i a l date and that District Judge Sande disqualify himself from hearing said case, a f t e r an affidavit of disqualification had been f i l e d by relators. The fact situation is: O n Monday, February 26, 1973 the county attorney of Yellowstone County f i l e d a complaint i n justice court charging relators with seven counts of possession of dangerous drugs. Prior t o the complaint being f i l e d an application for a search warrant had been f i l e d with the justice court and pursuant thereto a search warrant was issued by the justice of the peace on February 25, 1973. A s a r e s u l t of the search the charges of posses- sion of dangerous drugs were filed. On February 28, 1973 the county attorney filed an information i n the d i s t r i c t court of the thirteenth judicial d i s t r i c t , Yellow- sone County, charging relators with seven counts of possession of dangerous drugs. O n February 28, 1973 relators appeared a t the arraignment represented by counsel, D. Frank Kampfe. Bail was s e t a t $15,000 on each relator. O n March 2, 1973 relator John Arnold Mason posted bond and was released. O n March 12, 1973 relator Jon William Paschke was released on bond, On March 2, 1973 Judge C. B, Sande ordered a setting for t r i a l of criminal causes 8860 and 8861 for March 26, 1973 a t the hour of 9:30 a.m. The order was received by counsel for relators on March 5, 1973. O n March 21, 1973 counsel for relators f i l e d two affidavits of disqualification which were duly signed by the relators. O n March 21, 1973 Judge Sande refused t o disqualify himself and so advised counsel for relators by telephone. O n the same day, March 21, 1973, counsel f o r r e l a t o r s f i l e d a motion f o r continuance and notice of motion f o r continuance which alleged numerous grounds f o r continuance of the t r i a l s , among them were : 1. ~ e l a t o r s ' counsel had other previous cases set f o r t r i a l during t h e week of March 26 through March 30. 2. Relators' counsel did not have adequate time t o prepare and investigate the cases prior t o the t r i a l setting. 3. That additional burdens were c a s t upon counsel f o r r e l a t o r s because of h i s handling of o f f i c e matters previously handled by other members of the firm who were e i t h e r trying cases out of town o r had l e f t t h e employment of the firm. O n March 22, 1973 counsel f o r r e l a t o r s was advised by Judge Sande through a telephone conversation t h a t t h e motion f o r continuance was denied without hearing and t h e matter would go t o t r i a l on March 26, 1973. A t t h a t time he further advised counsel f o r r e l a t o r s t h a t any motions t o suppress and/or other hearings would be held on March 23, 1973. Judge Sande f i l e d an a f f i d a v i t before t h i s Court and was re- presented by Harold F. Hanser, county attorney f o r Yellowstone County, alleging t h a t within the week of s e t t i n g the cases f o r t r i a l he personally advised counsel f o r r e l a t o r s t h a t i f any motions were t o be made i n regard t o the cases they should be made a t an e a r l y date and disposed of before t r i a l . That he had had no communi- cation whatsoever with counsel f o r r e l a t o r s from t h a t time forward u n t i l Thursday, March 22, 1973, a t which time the court was advised t h a t a p e t i t i o n f o r continuance and a f f i d a v i t s of disqualification had been f i l e d by counsel f o r r e l a t o r s . That a t the time he received t h i s p e t i t i o n the county attorney's o f f i c e was preparing the cases f o r t r i a l . That f o r t y jurors had been summoned t o attend the t r i a l on March 26, 1973. That the court had previously s e t criminal cases a l l through the months of April and May, a t which time the term ended, and i f these cases were continued it would not be possible t o t r y them during t h a t term. - 3 - . County Attorney Hanser also f i l e d a memorandum before t h i s Court stating that the Yellowstone county attorney's office f i l e d i n excess of 300 felony cases i n d i s t r i c t court during the year 1972, and that on March 23, 1973, approximately 40 cases were set i n Judge Sande's department during the months of April and May. That even though counsel f o r relators pointed out h i s own busy schedule and reasons for continuance, M r , Kampfe on March 1, 1973 spent considerable time negotiating with the Yellowstone county attorney's office for the return of two $1,000 checks seized i n evidence pursuant t o the search warrants, That, i n addition, he had sufficient time t o f i l e i n federal d i s t r i c t court an action pertaining t o these checks. Thus, factually, i t would appear that counsel would have had sufficient time for motions for substitution of judge and continuance of t r i a l and could have made them more timely had he so desired. It i s from the t r i a l court's denial of the motions t o continue the t r i a l s and refusal t o disqualify himself that relators seek r e l i e f by way of a w r i t of supervisory control from t h i s Court. The issues: Did the t r i a l court abuse i t s discretion i n i t s denial t o continue the t r i a l s , and was the attempted disqualifica- tion timely made? The principal Montana s t a t u t e with respect t o disqualification i s section 95-1709, R.C.M. 1947: "Substitution of judge. (a) The defendant or the prosecution may move the court i n writing for a sub- s t i t u t i o n of judge on the ground that he cannot have a f a i r and impartial hearing or t r i a l before said judge. The motion s h a l l be made a t l e a s t fifteen (15) days prior to the t r i a l of the case, or any r e t r i a l thereof a f t e r appeal, except for good cause shown. Upon the f i l i n g of such a motion the judge against whom the motion i s f i l e d shall be without authority t o act further i n the criminal action, motion or proceeding but the provisions of t h i s section do not apply t o the arrangement of the calendar, the regulation of the order of business, the power of transferring the criminal action or proceeding t o some other court, nor t o the power of calling i n an- other judge t o s i t and a c t i n such criminal action or proceeding, providing that no judge s h a l l so arrange the calendar as t o defeat the purposes of t h i s section. Not more than one (1) judge can be disqualified i n the criminal action or proceeding, a t the instance of the prosecution and not more than one (1) judge a t the instance of the defendant or defendants. 11 If either party in any matter above-mentioned shall file the motion as herein provided such party may not complaint of any reasonable delay as the result thereof. 11 The provision of this section shall be inapplicable to any person in any cause involving a direct contempt of court. " ( b ) In addition to the provision of subsection ( a ) any defendant may move at any time for substitution of judge for cause, supported by affidavit. Upon the filing of such motion the court shall conduct a hearing and de- termine the merits of the motion. I I This Court has previously discussed this matter at great length in State ex rel. Wilson v. District Court, 143 Mont. 543, 393 P.2d 39, in which the Court held the language of section 95-1709, R.C.M. 1947, to be clear and concise: h he motion shall be made at least fifteen (15) days prior to the trial of the case * * . I 1 Unless, of course, a deliberate attempt is made to arrange a calendar to defeat the purposes of this section. Here, from the affidavits and memorandums submitted to this Court, we find the affidavit of disqualification was filed approxi- mately four days prior to the trial date, and that there had been no communication whatsoever between Judge Sande and counsel for relators from the time . . . the cases were set on March 2, 1973, and ' I p-pjijll LC' additionally, that wi4hi-n-a week thereafter Judge Sande personally notified counsel for relators that any motions should be made at an early date to be disposed of before the trial. There is nothing in the petition of relators to show that there should be a variance or a justification for failure to file the affidavits of disqualification within the 15 days provided by the statute. We hold the motions for disqualification were not timely made and therefore Judge Sanders denial of the affidavits of disqualification was proper. The remaining issue for review relating to the district court's denial of petitioners' motion for continuance need not be determined as such issue has become moot. This original proceeding is ac~qdingly dismissed. /'~istrict Judge, sitting for Hon. P ' >/ ' , James T. Harrison. J , We Concur: \,~ssociate Justices 1 i \ I N THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF MONTANA No. 12483 STATE EX REL. JON WILLIAM PASCHKE e t a l . , R e l a t o r s , V S . THE DISTRICT COURT OF THE THIRTEENTH JUDICIAL DISTRICT e t a l . , R e s p o n d e n t s . O R D E R PER CURIAM: I T I S ORDERED t h a t t h e word " w i t h i n " i n l i n e 2% page 5 , o f t h e a b o v e - e n t i t l e d o p i n i o n b e c h a n g e d t o " p r i o r t o " . DATED t h i s 1 7 t h d a y o f September, 1 9 7 3 .