Case Name: Commonwealth vs. Bridget O. Loghlin
Court: Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court
Jurisdiction: Massachusetts
Decision Date: 1860-09
Citations: 15 Gray 569
Docket Number: 
Parties: Commonwealth vs. Bridget O. Loghlin.
Judges: 
Reporter: Massachusetts Reports
Volume: 81
Pages: 569–570

Head Matter:
Commonwealth vs. Bridget O. Loghlin.
A defect in a warrant issued upon a complaint in a criminal case cannot be first objected to in arrest of judgment.
Complaint against a common seller of intoxicating liquors, made and sworn to before Wendell T. Davis as justice of the peace for the county of Franklin, who as such issued a warrant thereon, directing the officers to whom it was addressed to bring the defendant “ before some trial justice in said county of Franklin,” and, upon her being brought before him, proceeded as a trial justice to try and convict her. She appealed to the superior court, and after trial and conviction there, moved in arrest of judgment: 1st, because the complaint was made to, and the warrant issued by, a trial justice in his capacity of justice of the peace, instead of himself as trial justice, or some other justice of the peace; 2d, because the name of the court or justice before whom the warrant was returned was not specified in the warrant as required by St. 1859, c. 236, § 1. Russell, J. overruled the motion, and the defendant alleged exceptions.
W. Griswold, for the defendant.
S. H. Phillips, (Attorney General,) for the Commonwealth.

Opinion:
Metcalf, J.
This case is governed by that of Commonwealth v. Henry, 7 Cush. 512. Mr. Davis had authority as justice of the peace to receive the complaint and issue the warrant; and as trial justice he had jurisdiction of the offence with which the defendant was charged in the complaint. Sts. 1858, c. 138, § 1; 1859, c. 193. The objection to the irregularity in the form (if the warrant could not be first raised in arrest of judgment.
Exceptions overruled.