Court Opinion

ID: 9445761
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-03 21:37:47.32697+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:30:24.089533
License: Public Domain

STEWART, Circuit Judge
(concurring).
In view of United States v. Zucca, 351 U.S. 91, 76 S.Ct. 671, 100 L.Ed. 964, the district court held that a denaturalization proceeding could not be maintained when the affidavit of good cause was filed subsequent to the complaint. My independent view is that the district court was correct.
The concluding words of the prevailing opinion in Zueca seem to me unambiguous: “The mere filing of a proceeding for denaturalization results in serious consequences to a defendant. Even if his citizenship is not cancelled, his reputation is tarnished and his standing in the community damaged. Congress recognized this danger and provided that a person, once admitted to American citizenship, should not be subject to legal proceedings to defend his citizenship without a preliminary showing of good cause. Such a safeguard must not be lightly regarded. We believe that, not only in some cases but in all cases, the District Attorney must, as a prerequisite to the initiation of such proceedings, file an affidavit showing good cause.” [Emphasis added.] 351 U.S. 99-100, 76 S.Ct. 676-677.
I agree with my brethren, however, that the law of this circuit is now otherwise. For that reason alone I concur. While a distinction could be made between this case and United States v. Matles, 2 Cir., 247 F.2d 378, in that an amended complaint was filed there, the basic issue is substantially the same in both cases.