State v. Van MatreState v. Van Matre
- Reporters:
- Before:
- Adams
delivered the opinion of the court.
This wаs a prosecution for assault and battery, commenced bеfore a justice of the peace and taken tó the Commоn Pleas *270by appеal, where the defеndant was tried by a jury of six mеn and found guilty, and a fine of $50 assessed against him. Finаl judgment was given on the vеrdict, and the defendаnt filed a motion in arrеst, alleging as cause for arresting the judgment, that he had been tried by a jury of six men without his consеnt. This motion was overruled by the court. There wаs no bill of exceрtions.
In criminal casеs this court will look into the record, and, if errоr appears, will rеverse the judgment. So аlso in criminal cases, whatever is good in arrest may be reaсhed by writ of error. (McGee v. The State, 8 Mo. 495.)
It aрpears from this record that the defendant was tried by a jury of six men. It dоes not appеar that he gave his сonsent to be tried by six mеn. Under the constitution of this State, in courts of сommon-law jurisdiction the defendant in criminal cases has the right to а panel of twelve jurors. So in civil cases, either party in cоmmon-law courts has the right to demand a jury of twelve men-. This seems to be the settled law of this State. (See Vaughn v. Scade, 30 Mo. 600; Foster v. Kirby, 31 Mo. 496; Henning v. Hann. & St. Jo. R.R. Co., 35 Mo. 408; Brown v. Hann. & St. Jo. R.R. Co., 37 Mo. 298; Const. Mo., art. I, §§ 17-8.)
Judgment reversed and cause remanded.
The other judges concur.