Abbott v. Donohoe
Abbott v. Donohoe
Opinion of the Court
Briefly stated the situation in this case is this: The prosecutor, Abbott, was an inspector in the electrical bureau in the department of public safety' in the city of Bayonne, and on May 16th, 1931, was transferred by the director to the office of lineman with the rank of lieutenant of police. The
As will be noted from the chronology the transfer of Abbott was a dying act of an administration going out of office, as the result of an election occurring four days before. The new board of commissioners, relying upon chapter 289 of the laws of 1931, on coming into office passed the resolution revoking the transfer.
The section of the act in question provides that:
“No subordinate board, department, body, office, position or employment shall be created and no appointments made to membership on any subordinate board, department, body or to any office, employment or position including the position of patrolman and fireman by any board of commissioners or any member thereof heretofore or hereafter elected in any city of the second class under the provisions of the act to which this act is a supplement between the first Tuesday in May and the third Tuesday in May in any year in which an election of a board of commissioners for that city shall be held.”
The prosecutor of the writ contends that the act is not applicable, and if applicable, that it is unconstitutional class legislation.
Neither contention we think is sound. Language could hardly be chosen to indicate more clearly and completely a legislative ban on the appointment to office, employment or position in the period indicated, and this for the obvious reason that a dying board should not be permitted to forestall the action of its successors and thereby possibly defeat the public will. We think its language adequate to cover the transfer in this case. • >
It is said the act is unconstitutional in that it affects cities
The presumption of constitutionality is fairly established. We are not convinced that the act in question, worthy in purpose and effective in operation, is invalid, and the board was therefore in lawful exercise of its authority.
The writ is dismissed, with costs.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.