Case Name: In re STEPHEN FAULDAN
Court: Supreme Court of the District of Columbia
Jurisdiction: District of Columbia
Decision Date: 1892-03-07
Citations: 9 Mackey 433
Docket Number: No. 165
Parties: In re STEPHEN FAULDAN.
Judges: The Chief Justice and Justices Cox and James sitting.
Reporter: Reports of cases argued and determined in the Supreme Court of the District of Columbia (District of Columbia - reported by Mackey)
Volume: 20
Pages: 433–433

Head Matter:
In re STEPHEN FAULDAN.
Petty Earceny ; Jury Triar Waiver-oe.
i. Petty larceny is a felony at common law and is triable by jury; the Police Court has, therefore, no jurisdiction to try such an offense having no power to impannel a jury; following U. S. vs. Day, and U. S. vs. Herzog, ante. p. 430.
Habeas Corpus,
No. 165.
Decided March 7, 1892.
The Chief Justice and Justices Cox and James sitting.
Hearing on habeas corpus, petition alleging an illegal trial and conviction without a jury in the Police Court.
Prisoner discharged.
Mr. C. H. Armes, Asst. U. S. Attorney, for the United States.
Mr. Geo. E. Prevost for relator.'

Opinion:
The Chiee Justice
delivered the opinion of the court:
The relator was convicted of petty larceny and was clearly entitled to a trial by jury, which he did not have and could not get at the time that he was tried in the Police Court. It is claimed by counsel for the Government that petty larceny is one of the petty offenses that existed at the time of the adoption of the Constitution, in which case the defendant was not entitled to a trial by jury. The offense of petty larceny was never regarded at common law as a petty offense, but on the contrary as a felony, and not long since was punishable by death in England. It was always triable by jury.
This case comes within the ruling of the court at the present term in the case of in re Addison Day and also within the ruling of the court in the case of Herzog, just decided.
The relator is discharged.