Gibbons v. Braden
Gibbons v. Braden
Opinion of the Court
Opinion by
§ 309. Mayor; jurisdiction of; writ of prohibition against. Braden was being prosecuted before Gibbons, as mayor of Paris, for a violation of “the local option law.” Braden brought suit against the mayor in the county court because of his wrongful acts in instituting and proceeding with said prosecution, claiming that said mayor had no jurisdiction to hear and determine said prosecution, and praying judgment for damages in the sum of $250, and for a writ of prohibition prohibiting said mayor from proceeding with said prosecution. On the trial in the county court, Braden recovered judgment against the mayor for damages, $1 and costs, and the writ of prohibition, which had been temporarily granted, was perpetuated.
If the mayor had jurisdiction, then Braden had no cause of action against him in this proceeding. There is no question but that the law confers the jurisdiction which the mayor was exercising. Article 18 of the Code of Criminal Procedure provides that “mayors and recorders of incorporated towns and cities shall have and exercise the same jurisdiction as justices of the peace within their respective corporations, and the provisions of the code governing justices’ courts shall apply to mayors’ and recorders’ courts.” This jurisdiction is again conferred and more specifically regulated by articles 894, 895 and 896 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. But it is contended that this legislation is unconstitutional, being violative of sections 1,16,18 and 19 of article Y of the constitution, and in support of this position counsel cite Bigsby v. The City of Tyler, 44 Tex. 351; Holmes v. State, 44 Tex. 631; and Hamilton v. The State, 3 Ct. App. 643. In the two cases cited from the supreme court, the opinions construe the constitution of
Reversed and dismissed.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.