Brandau v. Mayor of Detroit
Brandau v. Mayor of Detroit
Opinion of the Court
At the November election in 1896 in the city of Detroit, the relator was elected as constable of the Seventh ward of said city. He thereafter filed his official bond, and entered upon the discharge of his duties as constable, ai*d continued to perform such duties until July 7, 1897, when he was suspended from, said office by the respondent, as mayor of said city. A petition was thereafter made by the relator to the circuit court for Wayne county for a mandamus to compel the respondent to revoke the order of suspension. Answer was made to this petition, in which the respondent sets out, substantially, as follows: That on May 20, 1897, one Henry Legrou, of the city of Detroit, made petition to the respondent, setting forth that a judgment was rendered against him in justice’s court for $7.02; that the relatgr, as constable, came to the saloon of petitioner with an execution on said judgment,
The action of the respondent mayor is based*upon section 53 of the charter of Detroit, which, among other matters, provides: ‘ ‘ The mayor shall have power to suspend or remove constables from office; and, in case of such suspension or removal from office, the mayor shall report the same, with the reasons therefor, to the common council.” Counsel for relator contended below, and contends here, that this provision of the charter is void, as in conflict with section 7, art. 12,' of the Constitution of this State, which provides, “The legislature shall provide by law for the removal of any officer elected by a county, township, or school district, in such manner and for such
The section of the Constitution referred to (section 7, art. 12) has no reference to the office of constable in a city, but refers to officers elected by a county, township, or school district. Article 15, § 14, of the Constitution, provides, “Judicial officers of cities and villages shall be elected, and all other officers shall be elected or appointed, at such time and in such manner as the legislature may direct;” while article 11, § 1, provides for the election of constables'in townships. In White v. Board of Supervisors, 105 Mich. 608, it was held by this court that constables in cities and villages are not such officers as are mentioned in section 1, art. 11, of the Constitution, and that such officers in cities and villages may be appointed, if the legislature should so direct. This being so, there is no constitutional restraint upon the legislature to provide for the removal of constables in cities and villages. By the latter part of section 53 of the charter, above quoted, this power is conferred upon the mayor of Detroit. He has exercised the power which the legislature has conferred upon him. It is not important to discuss the questions raised by counsel for respondent, as written
The court below very properly refused tó issue the mandamus. That order will be affirmed, with costs.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.