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Appeal forfeited after refusal to accept summons

ZZ.1977.17Other CourtFeb 5, 1977Dismissed

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Extracted by Omnilex

Omnilex summary

The appellant refused to accept the court summons and declined further correspondence. Although his address was known, service attempts by the bailiff and by post failed. The court held that refusal of service is legally equivalent to failed service because of an unknown address. Since no excuse for non-appearance was raised or apparent from the file, the appeal was declared forfeited under § 178(1) StPO.

Omnilex headnote

§ 178 Abs. 1 StPO; refusal to accept a summons and failure to appear at the appeal hearing: If the appellant cannot be summoned because he refuses acceptance of the summons, the appeal is forfeited. No distinction exists between impossibility of service owing to an unknown address and non-service owing to refusal of acceptance; in both cases the conduct reveals lack of interest in pursuing the appeal. Absent asserted or apparent excusing grounds, the court shall declare the appeal forfeited (consid. not stated).

Full text

Geschäftsnummer:** ZZ.1977.17**
Instanz:Strafkammer
Entscheiddatum:06.02.1977
FindInfo-Nummer:O_ST.2015.135
Titel:** Annahme der Vorladung verweigert - Appellation verwirkt**
Resümee:§ 178 Abs. 1 StPO. Kann der Appellant nicht vorgeladen werden, weil er die Annahme der Vorladung verweigert, so verwirkt die Appellation.
SOG 1977 Nr. 17 § 178 Abs. 1 StPO. Kann der Appellant nicht vorgeladen werden, weil er die Annahme der Vorladung verweigert, so verwirkt die Appellation. Im vorliegenden Fall war die Adresse des Appellanten zwar bekannt, doch blieben Zustellversuche via Bezirksweibel und Post erfolglos. Dem Weibel gegenüber erklärte der Appellant, er nehme "nichts mehr" entgegen. Als ihm das Gericht die Vorladung durch Gerichtsakt zustellte, verweigerte er die Unterschrift und refüsierte die Sendung. Zwischen der Unmöglichkeit der Zustellung wegen unbekannter Adresse und der Nichtzustellbarkeit wegen Annahmeverweigerung kann kein Unterschied bestehen. In beiden Fällen dokumentiert der Appellant, dass er an der Appellationsverhandlung nicht mehr interessiert ist. Dispensationsgründe werden weder geltend gemacht noch liegen solche nach den Akten vor. Die Appellation ist daher gestützt auf § 178 Abs. 1 StPO als verwirkt zu erklären. * Obergericht Strafkammer, Urteil vom 6. Februar 1977*

Keywords

appeal forfeituresummonsservice of processrefusal of acceptancenon-appearance

Extracted by Omnilex

Key legal questions extracted by Omnilex

Key legal question

Whether the appeal was forfeited because the appellant refused service of the summons and could not be duly summoned.

Extracted holding

Yes. Refusal to accept the summons is equivalent to unsuccessful service, so the appellant is deemed uninterested in the hearing and the appeal is forfeited.

Extracted reasoning

The court held that no distinction can be made between inability to serve due to an unknown address and inability to serve because the addressee refuses acceptance. In both situations the appellant shows that he no longer wishes to pursue the appeal. No grounds for excuse were asserted or apparent from the file.

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