Court Opinion

ID: 9449015
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-03 23:52:52.777406+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:31:39.181864
License: Public Domain

KILEY, Circuit Judge
(dissenting).
I respectfully dissent. The District Court’s Rule 7 permitted proof of service by certificate, by affidavit, “or by any other proof satisfactory to the court.” The only reason given by the court for refusing to issue compulsory process for Neal was that there was no “ * * * official return as required * * But Rule 7 does not require an “official return.”
The District Court had discretion under Rule 7 to reject oral testimony as an “unsatisfactory” method of proof, but it did not reject that method here. And presumably the court, since it did not so state and the Government does not so argue, did not reject the witness’ testimony as unworthy of belief. Official return of a summons is presumptively valid. The oral return permitted here under the Rule had the same value, absent a question of credibility, as other service under Rule 7. It was presumptively valid, and under the circumstances of this case was sufficient prima facie. The Government did not seek to overcome the presumption.
The Government argues that under United States v. Caldwell, 2 U.S. 333, 335, 1 L.Ed. 404 (C.C.Pa.1795), the District Court’s reason for the ruling was justified; and that the subpoena was invalid as partly bad under Bowman Dairy Co. v. United States, 341 U.S. 214, 221, 71 S.Ct. 675, 95 L.Ed. 879 (1951), and United States v. Patterson, 92 U.S.App.D.C. 222, 206 F.2d 433, 434 (1953) because of the deficient witness fee of $2.00 the witness said she paid Neal. Rule 7 of the District Court renders that part of the Caldwell case relied upon inapplicable to justify the precise reason for the ruling here; and the Caldwell case does not invalidate the process for a deficient witness fee.
The deficient witness fee given Neal did not render the summons bad nor render him immune from compulsory process for its disobedience. United States v. Durling, Fed. Case No. 15,010 (N.D. *308Ill.1869), Norris v. Hassler, 23 Fed. 581, 582-83 (Cir.Ct.D.N.J.1885). The reliance by the Government on Bowman Dairy and Patterson for this point is misplaced, for neither case dealt with the issue before us. Neal had a statutory right to $4.00 per day plus mileage allowance; but defendant has the constitutional right to have witnesses compelled to attend the trial in his behalf. The right of defendant on this record should have prevailed. The denial of his constitutional right was, in my opinion, prejudicially erroneous.