State Ex Rel. Svinksty v. Duffield

137 W.Va. 112, 71 S.E.2d 113 (1952)

Facts

Svinksty's (D) car struck and injured two children in West Virginia. D was a nonresident. D was arrested for reckless driving and incarcerated in the county jail until his trial three days later. In jail, D was served with process for a tort action by one of the children. D appeared in that action and filed a plea in abatement; the court had no jurisdiction because he was in jail at the time and a nonresident. The trial court sustained a demurrer to that plea and D petitioned for a writ of prohibition. (D was convicted of the criminal charge).