Van Eman v. Superior Court of San Francisco

Garoutte, J. This is a motion upon previous notice for a peremptory mandate to W. R. Daingerfield, judge [644]of the superior court of San Francisco, commanding him to settle a bill of exceptions. The petitioner was convicted of a felony in the department of the superior court presided over by the respondent, and upon December 12th duly served and filed his notice of appeal from the judgment and order denying his motion for a new trial.

On January 11, 1895, and within due time, defendant’s counsel presented to respondent, in open court, his proposed bill of exceptions. At that time respondent stated that such matters usually came up regularly on the last Saturday of each month, and he thereupon caused it to be placed' upon the calendar for Saturday, the twenty-sixth day of January, for a hearing. Before handing the proposed bill of exceptions to respondent on January 11th counsel for petitioner verbally notified the district attorney that he was about to do so, and requested him to examine the draft as soon as possible in order to expedíate its settlement. Being referred by the district attorney to special counsel for the people, Mr. Deuprey, he also gave him verbal notice that he was about to present the draft to respondent, and requested him to examine it and prepare his amendments as soon as possible, to which request Mr. Deuprey replied that he would. On Friday, January 25th, affiant called on said Deuprey at his office, and inquired of him, personally, if he would be ready on the following day to settle said proposed bill, to which said Deuprey replied that he would be ready at 11 o’clock a. m. next day. At 11 o’clock, on January 26th, affiant attended in court, and, upon said matter being called for settlement, a clerk from said Deuprey’s office stated that Mr. Deuprey could not be present that day, and requested that the matter go over to a future day. It was then agreed by affiant and said clerk that said Deuprey should call at affiant’s office on Monday, January 28th, at 1:30 p. M., to settle said bill, if possible, out of court. That on said last-named hour and day said clerk of Mr. Deuprey called at affiant’s office and requested that the settlement of [645]said bill be continued to January 29th, at 10 o’clock A. m., before said judge. On the matter coming on to be heard at that time said Deuprey objected to the settlement of said proposed bill of exceptions, upon the ground that the two days’ written notice required to be served upon the district attorney by the provisions of section 1171 of the Penal Code had not been given. The court sustained the objection and refused to settle the bill.