Railroad Commission of Louisiana v. Morgan's L. & T. R. & S. S. Co.

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
Railroad Commission of Louisiana v. Morgan's L. & T. R. & S. S. Co., 195 F. 66 (5th Cir. 1912)
115 C.C.A. 127; 1912 U.S. App. LEXIS 1345

Railroad Commission of Louisiana v. Morgan's L. & T. R. & S. S. Co.

Opinion of the Court

MAXEY, District Judge

(after stating the facts as above). The motion to dismiss the appeal is based on the ground that the case should have gone directly to the Supreme Court. -The parties plaintiff and defendant are citizens of the state of Louisiana. Diversity of citizenship, therefore, does not exist. The jurisdiction of the Circuit Court was invoked solely on the ground that the suit was one arising under the Constitution of the United States, in that it involved the construction and application of the commerce clause of the Constitution. Article 1, § 8.

It is well settled that, under the fifth section of the act of March 3, 1891 (26 Stat. 827, 828), appeals in suits of this character should go direct to the Supreme Court. In Union & Planters’ Bank v. Memphis, 189 U. S. 73, 23 Sup. Ct. 605, 47 L. Ed. 712, it was said by the Chief Justice, as the organ of the court, that:

“Diversity of citizenship did not exist, and the jurisdiction of the Circuit Court rested solely on the ground that the cause of action arose under the Constitution of the United States. The appeal lay directly to this court under section 5 of the Judiciary Act of March 3, 1891, and not to the Circuit Court *68of Appeals. American Sugar Refining Company v. New Orleans, 181 U. S. 277 [21 Sup. Ct. 646, 45 L. Ed. 859].’’

See, also, City of Paducah v. East Tennessee Telephone Company, 182 Fed. 625, 106 C. C. A. 333.

The motion to dismiss the appeal should be granted; and it is so ordered.

Reference

Full Case Name
RAILROAD COMMISSION OF LOUISIANA v. MORGAN'S L. & T. R. & S. S. CO.
Cited By
1 case
Status
Published
Syllabus
Courts (§ 385*)—Federal Supreme Court—Jurisdiction—Constitutional Questions. Where the jurisdiction of the federal Circuit Court is invoked solely on the ground that the suit arises under the federal Constitution, as involving the construction and application of the commerce clause, an appeal lies directly to the federal Supreme Court, and not to the Circuit Court of Appeals, under Judiciary Act March 3, 1891, e. 517, § 5, 26 fit at. 827 (U. S. Comp. St. 1901, p. 549). [Ed. Note.—For other cases, see Courts, Cent. Dig. §§ 1022-1026; Dec. Dig. § 385.* Review by the Supreme Court of decisions of the United States Circuit and District Courts since Circuit Court of Appeals Act March 3, 1891, see note to City of Paducah v. East Tennessee Telephone Co., 106 C. C. A. 333.]