State ex rel. Thomas v. Board of Fire & Police Commissioners
State ex rel. Thomas v. Board of Fire & Police Commissioners
Opinion of the Court
The relator filed with the board of fire and police commissioners of the city of Omaha remonstrances against the applications for licenses of 170 saloon-keepers of that city. The remonstrances were overruled, and, upon application to the district court for Douglas county and a hearing thereon, a peremptory writ of mandamus was granted against the board of fire and police commissioners commanding them to reduce the evidence to writing in each of 170 cases, and have the same filed in their office, and to make transcripts of the records also in each of the 170 cases, and to deliver the same to the relator to enable him to prosecute appeals in all of the cases, notice of which appeals had been duly given. From the order granting the peremptory writ the board of fire and police commissioners have appealed to this court.
1. One of the objections to the granting of the peremptory writ now insisted upon is that, upon the hearing-before the board of fire and police commissioners, stipulations weré entered into by this relator, who Avas remon-strator there, on the one part, and the attorneys representing the applicants for license on the other part, by which it Avas agreed: “That about 30 cases should be heard together for the purpose of saving time, and that, Avhen the official stenographer of the board should write up the
2. In State v. McGuire, 74 Neb. 769, it was held that the evidence taken before the board “is not essential to give the district court jurisdiction of an appeal from an order granting a license; the filing of a certified transcript of the proceedings containing such order being sufficient for that purpose,” and it was also held in that case that, “where the district court has acquired, jurisdiction of such appeal by the. filing of a certified transcript of the proceedings, and the license board fails to transmit the evidence taken before it at the hearing, the district court may enter a rule requiring the board to supply the omission.” This we think is the regular and orderly practice, and, this being the law, no writ of mandamus is necessary to compel the board to reduce the evidence to writing in aid of one who desires to appeal to the district court from the decision of the board. When the district court has acquired jurisdiction of the case, it may make such orders as are necessary for completing the appeal, and is in a better position so to do than upon the extraordinary proceedings in mandamus. If the board has complied with the law and caused the evidence taken in the case to be reduced to writing and filed in the office of the board, it can readily transmit such evidence properly certified to the district court. If it.has neglected to reduce the evidence to -writing, the court can compel the board so to do as far as it is possible, and the remedy provided by the statute is therefore complete..
3. The cortroversy in regard to making of the transcripts of the record of the board appears to turn upon the question of fees. Is the board entitled to fees for making these transcripts, or is it compelled to furnish them without payment therefor? The statute provides: “The testimony on said hearing shall be reduced to writing and filed in the office of application, and if any party feels
The judgment of the district court is reversed and the cause remanded.
REVERSED.
Concurring Opinion
concurring separately.
While I concur in the result, on account of the failure of the relator to tender reasonable fees for the transcripts, I dissent from the views expressed as to the board not being compelled to furnish a transcript of the evidence on account of the manner in which it was taken. The control of the manner in which the evidence is produced is with the board. It is not compelled to recognize any stipulations or agreements of the parties Avith reference to how it shall be taken. If they see fit to stipulate to a manner of taking it which will involve greater expense than usual in reducing the evidence to writing, the board need not be bound by it; but if it consents to the agreement and allows the evidence to he taken in accordance therewith, the fact that this method will entail greater expense than the usual and ordinary method will not excuse the board from a failure to perform its legal duty in furnishing a transcript of it upon demand.. While in one sense the applicant and remonstrators are parties to the proceedings, the public also has an interest, and it Avould be against public policy to alloAv the board to plead the acts and agreements of the contending parties as an excuse for its failure to perform a duty enjoined upon it by law.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- State, ex rel. Elmer E. Thomas v. Board of Fire and Police Commissioners of City of Omaha
- Cited By
- 3 cases
- Status
- Published