Case Name: GEORGE BOWLEY, POLICE OFFICER, PROSECUTOR, v. JAMES McFADDEN, DEFENDANT
Court: New Jersey Supreme Court
Jurisdiction: New Jersey
Decision Date: 1929-07-05
Citations: 7 N.J. Misc. 646
Docket Number: 
Parties: GEORGE BOWLEY, POLICE OFFICER, PROSECUTOR, v. JAMES McFADDEN, DEFENDANT.
Judges: 
Reporter: New Jersey Miscellaneous Reports
Volume: 7
Pages: 646–646

Head Matter:
GEORGE BOWLEY, POLICE OFFICER, PROSECUTOR, v. JAMES McFADDEN, DEFENDANT.
Decided July 5, 1929.
Eor the prosecutor, Robert Peacock.
Contra, Ernest Watts.

Opinion:
The opinion of the court was delivered by
Bodine, J.
The petitioner was arrested on November 10th, 1928, for a violation of the Motor Yehicle act. He appeared in court before J. Leedom Smith, a justice of the peace, on November 12th, 19.28, but no action whatever was taken. On November 16th, 1928, in the absence of petitioner, a plea of guilty was entered by the justice of the peace and a fine of $200 and costs was imposed. The conviction must be set aside for the reason that a plea of guilty must be interposed by the defendant charged with crime. It cannot be entered in a defendant's absence.