United States Supreme Court Cases & Opinions

U.S. Supreme Court

Levy Court of Washington County v. Ringgold, 30 U.S. 5 Pet. 451 451 (1831)

Levy Court of Washington County v. Ringgold

30 U.S. (5 Pet.) 451

Syllabus

The "act concerning the District of Columbia," passed 3 March, 1801, does not require the marshal to apply to the district attorney for executions in all cases of fines levied by the circuit court and make him liable for neglecting to do so if no execution issued.

The Levy court of Washington County is not entitled to one-half of all the fines, penalties, and forfeitures imposed by the circuit court in cases at common law and under the acts of Congress, as well as the acts of assembly of Maryland adopted by Congress as the law of the District of Columbia.

The district attorney is specially charged with the prosecution of all delinquents for crimes and offenses, and these duties do not end with the judgment or order of the court. He is bound to provide the marshal with all necessary process to carry into execution the judgment of the court. This falls within his general superintending authority over the prosecution.

Interest is not chargeable on money collected by the marshal of the District of Columbia for fines due to the Levy Court, the money having been actually expended by the marshal in repairs and improvements on the jail, under the opinions of the Comptroller and Auditor of the Treasury Department that these expenditures were properly chargeable upon this fund, although that opinion may not be well founded.