Case Name: STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA v. RUSSELL ALBERT BELL
Court: North Carolina Court of Appeals
Jurisdiction: North Carolina
Decision Date: 1977-05-18
Citations: 33 N.C. App. 273
Docket Number: No. 763SC950
Parties: STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA v. RUSSELL ALBERT BELL
Judges: Judge Vaughn concurs.
Reporter: North Carolina Court of Appeals Reports
Volume: 33
Pages: 273–275

Head Matter:
STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA v. RUSSELL ALBERT BELL
No. 763SC950
(Filed 18 May 1977)
Criminal Law § 149.1— verdict of not guilty — no appeal by State
The State had no right to appeal to the superior court from a general verdict of not guilty entered in the district court although the trial judge also found that the ordinance under which defendant was charged is invalid; therefore, the superior court acquired no jurisdiction of the case, and its quashal of the warrant was a nullity.
Chief Judge Brock concurring.
Appeal by the State from Webb, Judge. Judgment entered 27 October 1976 in Superior Court, Carteret County. Heard in the Court of Appeals 3 May 1977.
Defendant was charged with consuming beer in public in violation of Ordinance G-14 of the Town of Atlantic Beach.
In District Court on 12 May 1976 the following judgment was entered: “Verdict: Not Guilty. Court rules Ordinance invalid. Appealed.”
In the Superior Court the defendant moved to quash the warrant on the ground that the ordinance under which he was charged was invalid. From judgment allowing the defendant’s motion to quash, the State appealed.
Attorney General Edmisten by Assistant Attorney General James Wallace, Jr., for the State appellant.
A. B. Cooper, Jr., for defendant appellee.

Opinion:
CLARK, Judge.
The disposition of this case is governed by the principles of law declared in State v. Harrell, 279 N.C. 464, 183 S.E. 2d 638 (1971) (4-3).
The District Court entered a general verdict of not guilty, and the State has no right to appeal from this verdict. The Superior Court did not acquire jurisdiction of the proceedings, and the proceedings are a nullity. And this Court has acquired no jurisdiction by the purported appeal of the State from the Superior Court. See State v. Gilbert, 30 N.C. App. 130, 226 S.E. 2d 229 (1976).
Appeal dismissed.
Judge Vaughn concurs.