Case Name: United States v. Cottom
Court: United States District Court for the District of Columbia
Jurisdiction: United States
Decision Date: 1802-01
Citations: 1 Cranch 55
Docket Number: 
Parties: United States v. Cottom.
Judges: 
Reporter: Reports of cases argued and determined in the Supreme Court of the District of Columbia (District of Columbia - reported by Mackey)
Volume: 1
Pages: 55–56

Head Matter:
United States v. Cottom.
A capias may be issued as the first process against a person for unlawful gaming.
The Court will not suffer counsel in a criminal prosecution to argue to the jury, a point of law which has been decided by the Court.
Indictment for gaming, contrary to the Act of Virginia. A capias had issued upon the indictment, as the first process.
Mr. Swann, for the defendant,
moved to quash it, as being illegal and oppressive. But the Court overruled the motion.
Mr. Taylor
began to address the jury on the points of law heretofore decided by the Court, that the offence was not committed within the jurisdiction of the Court, being before the 1st Monday of December, 1800; and that an indictment is not the proper and legal process in such cases.
Mr. Jones, for defendant,
tendered a bill of exceptions.

Opinion:
The Court
stopped him, and said they had before prevented Mr. Jones from arguing points of law to the jury, which the Court had decided against him, (see Commonwealth v. Zimmerman, ante p. 47,) and they had not altered their opinion on that subject.