State v. Ellison

State v. Abraham Ellison.

State v. Ellison, 52 S.E.2d 9 (N.C. 1949)

Court: Supreme Court of North Carolina · State Highest Courts
Decided: March 2, 1949
Judges: DeNNY
Citations: 52 S.E.2d 9230 N.C. 591949 N.C. LEXIS 568

Opinion of the Court — DeNNY

DeNNY, J.

In order to convict the defendant of the offense charged in the warrant herein, the burden was upon the State to show beyond a reasonable doubt not only that he was the father of the child, hut that he had refused or neglected to support and maintain it, and that such refusal •or neglect was willful, that is, intentionally done “without just cause, *60 excuse or justification/’ after notice and request for support.

S. v. Stiles, 228 N.C. 137 , 44 S.E. 2d 728 ;

S. v. Hayden, 224 N.C. 779 , 32 S.E. 2d 333 .

The warrant charges the defendant with the willful failure to support his illegitimate child. However, the jury did not return a verdict of “Guilty,” or “Guilty as charged,” or “Guilty as charged in the warrant,” or “Guilty of willful non-support of his illegitimate child,” but returned a verdict of “Guilty of willful non-support of illegitimate child.” G.S. 49-2; S.

v. Vanderlip, 225 N.C. 610 , 35 S.E. 2d 885 . This verdict does not fix the paternity of the child, S. v. Spillman, 210 N.C. 271 , 186 S.E. 322 , and is, therefore, insufficient to support the judgment entered below.

S. v. Allen, 224 N.C. 530 , 31 S.E. 2d 530 , and cases cited therein.

Stacy, G. J., said, in speaking for the Court in S. v. Lassiter, 208 N.C. 251 , 179 S.E. 891 : “When the jury undertakes to spell out its verdict without specific reference to the charge, as in the instant case, it is essential that the spelling be correct.

S. v. Parker, 152 N.C. 790 , 67 S.E. 35 .”

S. v. Whitley, 208 N.C. 661 , 182 S.E. 338 ;

S. v. Cannon, 218 N.C. 466 , 11 S.E. 2d 301 ;

S. v. Jones, 227 N.C. 47 , 40 S.E. 2d 458 .

Venire de novo.

How later courts describe this case

No later court has written an explanatory parenthetical about this case yet.

Cited by 18 cases

View all citing references →

Relies on it most ⓘ

State v. Hobson320 S.E.2d 319 (N.C. Ct. App. 1984)
State v. Williams206 S.E.2d 783 (N.C. Ct. App. 1974)
State v. Ellis137 S.E.2d 840 (N.C. 1964)
State v. Green176 S.E.2d 756 (N.C. 1970)
State v. Thompson64 S.E.2d 157 (N.C. 1951)
State v. Gatlin84 S.E.2d 880 (N.C. 1954)

Most recent

State v. Hobson320 S.E.2d 319 (N.C. Ct. App. 1984)
State v. Golden251 S.E.2d 875 (N.C. Ct. App. 1979)
State v. Williams206 S.E.2d 783 (N.C. Ct. App. 1974)
State v. Medlin190 S.E.2d 425 (N.C. Ct. App. 1972)
State v. Green176 S.E.2d 756 (N.C. 1970)
Gallegos v. People420 P.2d 409 (Colo. 1966)

Citing references are not a citator: they show that a later opinion cites this case, not whether it followed, distinguished, or overruled it. Check negative history before relying on this case.

Authorities cited 10

Depth	Case	Cited by
	State v. Whitley, 182 S.E. 338 (N.C. 1935)	31
	State v. Jones, 40 S.E.2d 458 (N.C. 1946)	22
	State v. Parker, 67 S.E. 35 (N.C. 1910)	16
	State v. Hayden, 32 S.E.2d 333 (N.C. 1944)	16
	State v. Spillman, 186 S.E. 322 (N.C. 1936)	14
	State v. Lassiter, 179 S.E. 891 (N.C. 1935)	14
	State v. Stiles, 44 S.E.2d 728 (N.C. 1947)	14
	State v. Cannon, 11 S.E.2d 301 (N.C. 1940)	11
	State v. Vanderlip, 35 S.E.2d 885 (N.C. 1945)	8
	State v. Allen, 31 S.E.2d 530 (N.C. 1944)	5

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