Hagerty v. State
Hagerty v. State
Opinion of the Court
The only'question raised by the demurrer is the constitutional validity of the legislation referred to. Its validity is denied because of the provisions of the first section of the amended act, which is as follows:
1 ‘Section 1. That all the property within the jurisdiction of this state, and any interest therein, whether belonging to inhabitants of this state or not, . and whether tangible or intangible, which shall pass by will or by the inter-state laws of this state, or by deed, grant, sale or gift made or in
Most of the objections urged against the validity of the act are answered in State ex rel v. Ferris, 53 Ohio St., 314. The act there held invalid made an inhibited distinction as to the value of the property received, the right to receive being there, as here, the real subject of the imposition. No such distinction appears in this act, which lays a uniform tax upon the reception of all amounts above 4 two hundred dollars, and that exemption is expressly authorized by the constitution in the levying of taxes upon property.
It is further objected that the act is invalid because the provision that all property “which shall pass by will * * * sale or gift” shall be subject to the imposition, invades the owner’s guaranteed right to sell and convey property, which right is embraced within its enjoyment. But the meaning of the word “sale,” as used in the statute, is to be determined by the maxim noscitnr a sociis, and it includes only transactions which, though, in form sales, are in fact gifts. Since the act is within the legislative power granted, and not within the letter or spirit of any limitation hereon, it is valid.
The conclusion of the circuit court is well sustained by its opinion in the ease. 12 C. C. R., 606.
Judgment affirmed.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.