Court Opinion

ID: 9723837
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 10:35:05.036356+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:24:52.485351
License: Public Domain

DeBRULER, Justice,
dissenting.
The trial court denied a motion to dismiss predicated upon the absence in the information of an allegation of an intent to defraud. The prosecution argued at the conclusion of the trial that it did not construe the statute to require proof of intent to defraud, but that if the statute did so require, it had satisfied the requirement. In finding appellant guilty the trial court noted the later amendment expressly adding intent to defraud, and referred to the statute as an “unusual” one. This record is obscure in reflecting whether or not the trial judge construed it as requiring proof of an intent to defraud. Appellant argues for the first time in the petition to transfer that the trial court took the position that proof of intent to defraud was not required for conviction. This argument is so closely related to the dismissal ruling and the sufficiency of evidence determination, that it is appropriate in order to avoid a potential injustice, for this court to consider that argument on its merits. I vote to remand to Judge Stewart for a clarification of his judgment of conviction so as to reflect whether or not he did or did not construe the criminal statute to require the element of an intent to defraud.