Michigan Railroad Commission v. Detroit & Mackinac Railway Co.
Michigan Railroad Commission v. Detroit & Mackinac Railway Co.
Opinion of the Court
This, is an application on the part of relators for a writ of mandamus to compel the respondent railway company to put in force certain orders adopted by the Michigan railroad commission.
We compile a brief statement of the proceedings leading up to this application: On October 19, 1909, October 22,1909, and November 3, 1909, the Michigan
Thereafter application was made by respondent to this court, and also to one of the justices of the Supreme Court of the United States, for the allowance of a writ of error to the Supreme Court of the United States. Both applications were denied in August, 1912.
Thereafter respondent filed an original bill of complaint in the district court of the United States for the eastern' district of Michigan, in equity, which bill contained practically the same allegations as the bill theretofore filed in the circuit court for the county of Wayne, in chancery, asking for the same relief, and praying further that a temporary injunction be gran-ed restraining relator Michigan railroad commission from putting into effect and enforcing the orders theretofore made and entered by said commission, pending such hearing in the Federal court. This matter was heard upon motion for the temporary injunction above mentioned by two circuit judges and the district judge. The injunction was refused; one of the reasons stated in the opinion rendered for such refusal being that respondent’s right of review in court became fixed when the orders of the commission were formulated, and that respondent at that time
An appeal was subsequently taken from this order denying the temporary injunction to the Supreme Court of the United States, where the matter is now pending.
The instant proceeding is brought for the purpose . of compelling, by mandamus, compliance with the orders made by the railroad commission under dates above set forth.
The answer of respondent admits, in substance, the foregoing; and it also admits that it has not put into force and effect the said orders of the commission, and states that it does not desire to do so before the case is finally decided in the Supreme Court of the United States. And respondent denies that relators have a right to have the said orders put into force and •effect. In other words, it appears that the allegations in the petition of the relators are admitted, except the right of relators to have the orders put into force and effect.
The answer of respondent is voluminous, and raises many questions of fact which have already been settled by the decree and opinion of this court, and by the opinion of the Federal judges on the hearing for a preliminary injunction.
Relators claim that many of the matters raised by respondent are irrelevant and immaterial in this proceeding, and that the petition filed by relators does not legally raise any such issues, and does not justify the filing of an answer of this nature. Subsequent to the time of respondent’s appeal to the Supreme
“In addition to all the other remedies provided by this act for the prevention and punishment of any and all violations of the provisions hereof and of all orders of the commission, * * * and likewise any persons, firm or corporation interested, may compel compliance with the provisions of this act and with the orders of the commission by proceedings in mandamus, injunction or by other appropriate civil remedies.”
On the hearing of the last above-mentioned matter the point was made, among others, by respondent, that an application for mandamus should not be entertained by this court while the appeal is pending in the Supreme Court of the United States, and this question was left open by us, which question we think now is fairly presented to this court.
It may properly be asked what effect should be given to the original bill filed in the United States district court for the eastern district of Michigan, in equity, by respondent, and the appeal from its judgment now pending, upon the question of the issuance of a mandamus by this court.
“As a general rule, the pendency of another suit involving the same question will prevent the issue of a mandamus unless it will be ineffective, or the other court is without jurisdiction.” 26 Cyc. p. 184, and cases there cited.
Applying this rule to the instant case, the pendency of the appeal in the Federal court involving practically the same matter as that adjudicated in this court, unless ineffective, or unless the Federal court is without jurisdiction, would operate so as to prevent the issuance of the writ of mandamus. But if this case is one of the exceptions to the general rule, in that the Federal court is without jurisdiction, then the rule should not apply.
Manifestly the respondent, at the time of the making and entering of the orders in question by the commission, had the unquestioned right to submit its controversy either to the State or Federal court. But, having selected the circuit court for the county of Wayne, in chancery, as its forum, and judgment in that court having been rendered against it, and the said judgment having been affirmed on appeal by this
Chief Justice Fuller, in Moran v. Sturges, 154 U. S. 256-269 (14 Sup. Ct. 1019, 1022), said:
“It is a doctrine of láw too long established to require a citation of authorities that, where a court has jurisdiction,- it has a right to decide every question which occurs in the cause, and whether its decision be correct or otherwise, its judgment, till reversed, is regarded as binding in every other court; and that, where the jurisdiction of a court, and the right of a plaintiff to prosecute his suit in it, have once attached, that right cannot be arrested or taken away by proceedings in another court. These rules have their foundation, not merely in comity, but on necessity. For if one may enjoin, the other may retort by injunction.”
Justice Shiras, in Harkrader v. Wadley, 172 U. S. 148, at page 164 (19 Sup. Ct. 119), lays down the rule in this language:
“When a State court and a court of the United States may each take jurisdiction of a matter, the tribunal where jurisdiction first attaches holds it, to the exclusion of the.other, until its duty is fully performed and the jurisdiction involved is exhausted; and this rule applies alike in both civil and criminal cases.”
It' is contended by respondent that the court first acquiring jurisdiction should proceed to a determination without interference. This may be conceded. Applying that rule, it seems to us that there has been a complete and final adjudication as between the parties to the controversy involving the subject-matter, in a court of competent jurisdiction, to wit, the State court’.
We do not think the question of comity is here involved, because the Federal court has taken the same view which this court has entertained of the subject-matter. That court not having assumed jurisdiction, and having passed upon this very question of jurisdiction, we see no reason why the writ of mandamus should not issue.
We see no occasion for the forming of an issue upon the questions here presented, and are of opinion that the writ of mandamus should issue as prayed in relator’s petition.
It. is so ordered.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- MICHIGAN RAILROAD COMMISSION v. DETROIT & MACKINAC RAILWAY CO.
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- 1 case
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- Published