The United States of America v Gaynor: PC 1905

The Privy Council allowed an appeal from an order of a Judge, itself having given special leave to appeal.
Lord Halsbury LC said: ‘Their Lordships do not mean to suggest that the writ of habeas corpus is not applicable when there is a preliminary proceeding. Each case must depend upon its own merits. But where a prisoner is brought before a competent tribunal, and is charged with an extradition offence and remanded for the express purpose of affording the prosecution the opportunity of bringing forward the evidence by which that accusation is to be supported; if, in such a case, upon a writ of habeas corpus, a learned Judge treats the remand warrant as a nullity, and proceeds to adjudicate upon the case as though the whole evidence were before him, it would paralyze the administration of justice and render it impossible for the proceedings in extradition to be effective.’

Judges:

Lord Halsbury L.C

Citations:

[1905] AC 128

Cited by:

CitedThe Attorney General for St Christopher and Nevis v Rodionov PC 20-Jul-2004
(St. Christopher and Nevis) The government of Canada requested the extradition of the respondent. The Attorney General sought special leave to appeal against the order for his discharge from custody, which had been on the grounds of the prejudice . .
Lists of cited by and citing cases may be incomplete.

Commonwealth, Constitutional, Extradition

Updated: 13 May 2022; Ref: scu.199443