Court Opinion

ID: 9850574
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-09-24 04:59:31.289414+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:20:39.652244
License: Public Domain

TEIGEN, Chief Justice
(concurring specially on result and dissenting).
I concur with the majority that the petitioner has not shown grounds for release from custody if habeas corpus was available for the purpose of testing the legality of the arrest. I do not agree with the majority when they hold that habeas corpus is an appropriate remedy to review the legality of the custody under a commitment by a magistrate, on grounds that the arresting officer was without jurisdiction to make the initial arrest.
The petitioner, after his arrest, which he claims was unlawful, was brought before the committing magistrate charged with a public offense. The committing magistrate found that the offense with which the petitioner was charged was a bailable offense and proceeded to set bail. However, bail was not taken and the petitioner was committed to the custody of the sheriff until bail is taken. There was also a preliminary hearing at which evidence on the question of probable cause was adduced and this question was taken under advisement. A few days later, and before the magistrate ruled on probable cause, the petitioner obtained a writ of habeas corpus *478from the district court. This writ being a superior authority, the original restraint, by virtue of the commitment until bail, was suspended. The petitioner was thereafter held under and by virtue of the writ itself and not under the commitment by which he was originally imprisoned. 39 C.J.S. Ha-beas Corpus, Sec. 87, p. 650. Apparently, for this reason, the magistrate has not acted upon the question of probable cause.
The purpose of petitioner’s proceeding by habeas corpus is to test the legality of his commitment on the ground that the arrest was unlawful. Judge Knudson, in his special concurrence, has cited ample authority establishing that the power of the court is not impaired by the fact that a person charged has been brought within the court’s jurisdiction as a result of an unlawful arrest. The majority rely on the federal case of Fay v. Noia, cited in the majority opinion. However, for reasons plainly and adequately pointed out by Judge Knudson, this case is not applicable to the issue before us. Thus the majority, in my opinion, have expanded upon the scope of the inquiry in habeas corpus as announced in Fay v. Noia and applied it to test the jurisdiction of the court over the person on the ground of the alleged unlawfulness of the arrest, on the assumption that when and if the United States Supreme Court reaches this question it will so hold where a federal question is involved. I am not willing to speculate on what the United States Supreme Court may hold when and if the question before us is presented to them for decision. Secondly, I do not feel federal decisions on procedure govern state procedure. Habeas corpus is a mode of procedure and is defined by statute in this state. Chapter 32-22, .N.D.C.C. However, habeas corpus is not defined by federal statutes and the federal courts must look to the common law for the meaning, purpose, and extent of the power conferred. 25 Am.Jur. Habeas Corpus, Sec. 7, p. 148. In this state there is no common law where the law is established by statute. Sec. 1-01-06, N.D. C.C. The statutes declare the purpose and extent of the inquiry permitted in habeas corpus proceedings in this state; therefore, we are not at liberty to apply the common law. Secs. 32-22-01, 32-22-02, & 32-22-17, N.D.C.C.
I would quash the writ for the reasons stated herein.