State ex rel. Kahn v. Bell
State ex rel. Kahn v. Bell
Opinion of the Court
The relator in this case is the registrar of voters for the parish of Orleans. He erased the name of M. J. Kahn from the registration roll, after due publication ’ of his intention so to do, in the manne?’ provided in section 8 of Act No. 195 of 1916. The cause assigned by the registrar for erasing the name was that Kahn had removed from the precinct in which he was registered. Kahn proceeded by mandamus in the civil district court for the Parish of Orleans to compel the registrar to reinstate his name on the registration roll.
In defense of the suit, the registrar pleaded a provision in section 8 of Act No. 195 of 1916, viz.:
“After such names shall have been published and erased as herein provided, the persons whose names have been so erased shall not be permitted to vote except upon a new certificate of registration properly issued.”
The district judge rendered judgment in favor of the defendant, registrar, but on a rule obtained by Kahn to show cause why a new trial should not be granted, the judge reversed his decision and gave judgment in favor of Kahn, ordering the registrar to reinstate Kahn’s name on the registration roll. The judge concluded from the evidence that, although Kahn had changed his residence from one house to another in the same precinct, he had not been out of the precinct for a period of six months.
The district court held that, in so far as section '8 of Act 195 of 1916 purported to make the action of the registrar, in erasing the name after the publication and delay provided for in the statute, final and conclusive, the law was unconstitutional, being violative of section 1 of article 197 and article 213 of the Constitution.
On the second day after the judgment was rendered, the registrar presented a petition for an order of appeal and for an order fixing the bond for either a suspensive or devolutive appeal. The district judge refused to grant either a suspensive or devolutive appeal. This proceeding is for a writ of mandamus to compel the granting of the appeal.
The question that would be presented on this appeal is not whether Kahn’s removal or change of residence was in fact beyond the precinct in which he was registered. On that question of fact alone this court would not have appellate jurisdiction. See Aubert
It is ordered that a writ of mandamus issue herein, directing the judge of division D of the civil district court for the parish of Orleans to grant an order of appeal to the relator and to fix the bond for either a suspensive or devolutive appeal, as prayed for in relator’s petition for appeal.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- STATE ex rel. KAHN v. BELL, Registrar of Voters. In re BELL
- Status
- Published
- Syllabus
- (Syllabus by Editorial Staff.) 1. Courts Where the issue in mandamus proceedings by a voter to compel the reinstatement by the registrar of voters of his name on the registration roll was merely one of fact as to whether his change or removal of residence was beyond the precinct in which he was registered, the Supreme Court would have no jurisdiction of an appeal from the decision' of the district court for the parish of Orleans. 2. Courts &wkey;>224(6) — Where statute was held unconstitutional, Supreme Court has jurisdiction of appeal in political case. As Const, art. 85, declares that the appellate jurisdiction of the Supreme Court shall extend to all cases in which a law of the state has been declared unconstitutional, such court has jurisdiction of an appeal by the registrar of voters of a parish against whom mandamus was issued commanding him to reinstate, despite erasure, the name of a voter who liad moved his residence, but claimed to have remained in the precinct, on the ground that Act No. 195 of 1916, § 8, declaring that, after a name shall have been published and erased, the person whose name has been erased shall not be permitted to vote, except on a new certificate of registration, was in violation of Const, art. 197, § 1, art. 213.