The People of the State of New York Ex Rel. Leon Lawton v. . Henry W. Snell, as Sheriff of Rensselaer County

Summary

The Court of Appeals held that the police justice of Troy lacked jurisdiction over the bastardy proceeding because the statutory conditions for arresting the defendant in another county were not satisfied, rendering the order of filiation void and the subsequent commitment unlawful; therefore the writ of habeas corpus was granted and the lower courts' orders were reversed. The opinion notes a dissent and two concurrences that disagree on the effect of the illegal arrest on jurisdiction.