Barlow v. Highway Commissioner
Barlow v. Highway Commissioner
Opinion of the Court
Certiorari to review the proceedings of a highway commissioner.
Application being made to the commissioner of highways of the township of Oscoda, to lay out a certain highway in said township, affecting the lands of the petitioner, James Barlow, the commissioner, as shown by his return to this Court, served a written notice upon said Barlow that the commissioner would meet at the house of said Barlow, in said township, on the twenty-second day of August, A. D. 1885, at 5 o’clock p. m., to proceed to view the premises described in application and notice, and ascertain and determine the necessity-of laying out the highway therein described, and to appraise the damages thereon. The notice was dated, and served, on the seventh of August, 1885.
The commissioner admits, in his return, that he did not meet at the house of the said James Barlow, at all, upon the day specified in said notice, but that he went to the barn of said Barlow, on that day, reaching there about 20 minutes
There are numerous reasons urged against the validity of the proceedings of the commissioner, some of which are good under the former decisions of this Court; but the failure of this officer to meet at the place appointed is fatal. It is shown that Mr. Barlow was at his house at 5 o’clock and after, and, even if he had not been, the commissioner was bound to meet there or lose jurisdiction of the proceedings. It is not necessary to notice the other defects.
The proceedings must be quashed and held for naught.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.