In re McKibbins
In re McKibbins
Opinion of the Court
Opinion by
The petition in the present case was that the court “ grant him a license, a transfer from one house to another,” etc. It was indorsed “ petition and bond of Henry W. McKibbins for transfer of tavern license,” and set forth “ all the facts necessary under existing laws for original applications for liquor licenses.” If the statute were silent on the subject it might well be argued that the applicant should have averred in his petition the grounds upon winch the transfer was asked for, and it may be remarked that even in the absence- of express statutory requirement it would be good practice to do so. Moreover, we have no doubt that the court may, in its discretion, require it. This, however, is not the question. The question is, whether such averment in the petition is absolutely essential to a valid order transferring the license. The answer to this question is contained in' the statute, which provides: “ Any transfer of license .... may be made during the regular term of court, or in chambers during vacation, when the applicant for said transfer shall have presented to the court a petition setting forth all the facts necessary under existing laws for original applications for liquor licenses.” When, therefore, the petition for a transfer setting forth all that the statute requires has been filed the requisite length of time, the court has jurisdiction to transfer the license after due hearing upon satisfactory proof of the essential facts.
The objection, that the court refused-to consider the remonstrance filed by the appellant is not sustained by the record taken as a whole and fairly construed. The objection to the
Judgment affirmed.
Dissenting Opinion
dissenting:
A license to sell liquors at retail, at a hotel owned by John G. Scouton, was duly granted to Henry McKibbins, who, for a time, continued to exercise the privilege thereby conferred. He, on March 21, 1899, filed in the office of the clerk of the court of quarter sessions a petition to the court, praying for the transfer of the license to another building. On April 3, 1899, a remonstrance, duly sworn to, against the transfer was filed by Scouton, the owner of the licensed hotel. On April 4, 1899, the court acting by the associate judges made an order trans
The only question worthy of consideration under the first assignment of error is the sufficiency of the facts, alleged in the application for transfer, to invoke the jurisdiction of the court to transfer the license from one place to another. The jurisdiction of the court to make this transfer is strictly limited to the cases mentioned in the Act of July 15, 1897, P. L. 297, among which is that arising when the owner of the licensed building refuses to extend or renew the lease for the same. The jurisdiction is exceptional, not general. This record does not, in my opinion, present a case which would warrant the court in making the order in question. The petition simply prayed for an order transferring the license, without stating any grounds whatever bringing the proceeding within the limited powers of the court to make the decree. It is true that, after this prayer for transfer, unsupported by reasons, the petition did contain the recitals of fact necessary in an ordinary original application for liquor license. It is contended on behalf of appellee that this was sufficient under the 1st section of the act, which contains this provision: “ Any transfer of license, etc., may be made during the regular term of court, or in chambers during vacation, when the applicant for said transfer shall have presented to the court a petition, setting forth all the facts necessary under existing laws for original applications for liquor licenses.” If this view is to prevail, it is not necessary for the applicant for a transfer to inform the court that he is already licensed or that he desires a transfer for such statements are not necessary in original applications for license. We thus have a judicial proceeding in which the purpose sought to be accomplished and the legislation by which it was authorized does not appear from an examination of the record. If the above recited provision is alone to be considered, then it is not requisite that anytime shall intervene between the filing of the petition and the decree of transfer, for the trans
The second, third and fourth specifications of error relate to the refusal of the court below to consider the remonstrance of the owner of the then licensed building, which had been filed and was a part of the record at the time of the hearing. A license to sell liquor is for the house and the accommodation of the public, as well as to the licensee. It is very clear that the
I would reverse the judgment.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.