Bank of St. Martinville v. Broussard

Supreme Court of Louisiana
Bank of St. Martinville v. Broussard, 131 La. 1078 (La. 1913)
60 So. 690; 1913 La. LEXIS 1838
Provosty

Bank of St. Martinville v. Broussard

Opinion of the Court

PROVOSTY, J.

The defendant having, in the exercise of his functions of sheriff, made a seizure of plaintiff’s property in satisfaction of a tax imposed by the police jury of the parish whereof defendant was sheriff, the present suit was brought against him to enjoin- the seizure, on the ground that the *1079said tax was illegal, and an order was obtained against him directing him to show cause on a day fixed why an injunction should not issue against him, enjoining him from collecting said tax. He excepted that the proper parties had not been made to the suit; that the police Jury of Iberia parish was the real party in interest, and should have been made a party; and he at the same time averred that said tax was valid. The case was tried, and the rule to show cause was dismissed, and the defendant was ordered to proceed with the collection of the tax, and the plaintiff took a suspensive appeal to this court.

The defendant and appellee has filed an answer to the appeal, in which he informs this court that since the appeal was taken his term of office has expired, and his successor has been duly qualified, and has entered upon the functions of his office, and that he, the appellee, is no longer qualified to stand in Judgment in the matter.

The suit having been brought against the defendant distinctly in his official capacity, he is right in saying he no longer has quality to stand in Judgment in the matter.

The defendant and appellee, Albert Broussard, is therefore dismissed as a party to the suit, subject, however, to the right of the plaintiff and appellant to make his successor a party defendant and appellee in his place.

Reference

Full Case Name
BANK OF ST. MARTINVILLE v. BROUSSARD, Sheriff and Tax Collector
Status
Published
Syllabus
(Syllabus by Editorial Staff.) Appeal and Error (§ 330*) — Parties—Substitution. Where an action is brought against a sheriff in his official capacity to enjoin the collection of a tax, and pending appeal his term of office expires and his successor qualifies, the defendant should be dismissed as a party to the suit, subject to the plaintiff’s right to make his successor a party in his place. [Ed. Note. — For other cases, see Appeal and Error, Cent. Dig. §§ 1837-1841; Dec. Dig. §