Beck & Gregg Hardware Co. v. Cook

82 S.E.2d 4, 210 Ga. 608, 5 P.U.R.3d 272, 1954 Ga. LEXIS 386, 34 L.R.R.M. (BNA) 2029
CourtSupreme Court of Georgia
DecidedApril 12, 1954
Docket18528
StatusPublished
Cited by6 cases

This text of 82 S.E.2d 4 (Beck & Gregg Hardware Co. v. Cook) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Georgia primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Beck & Gregg Hardware Co. v. Cook, 82 S.E.2d 4, 210 Ga. 608, 5 P.U.R.3d 272, 1954 Ga. LEXIS 386, 34 L.R.R.M. (BNA) 2029 (Ga. 1954).

Opinion

Duckworth, Chief Justice.

The power to regulate interstate commerce is vested in the Congress by art. I, sec. VIII, par. Ill of the Constitution of the United States. Code § 1-125 (3). The historical background of this clause of the Constitution attests to the wisdom of thus giving the general Government supreme authority in this field. Pursuant to the foregoing clause of the Constitution, the Congress has enacted the Interstate Commerce Act, and by part II thereof, (49 U. S. C. A., § 301, etc.), motor common carriers engaged in moving freight in interstate commerce are placed under the jurisdiction of the Interstate Commerce Commission, which is empowered by that act to regulate the operations of such carriers. But by section 316 (j) (49 U. S. C. A. § 316 (j)) of the act, it is provided that “nothing-in this section shall be held to extinguish any remedy or right of action not inconsistent herewith,” and, in section 22 of the original act (49 U. S. C. A., § 22), it is also provided that “nothing in this chapter contained shall in any way abridge or alter the remedies now existing at common law or by statute but the provisions of this chapter 'are in addition to such remedies.” Thus the Congress plainly and unmistakably expresses its will and intention that rights of parties arising in interstate-commerce transactions may be protected by the courts of the land, both Federal and State, so long as actions in the courts are not in *612 consistent with the provisions of the act. The act defines a common carrier by motor vehicle as one holding itself out to the general public to engage in transportation by motor vehicle in interstate and foreign commerce of passengers or property for compensation. 49 U. S. C. A., § 303 (14). Our own Code, § 18-301, imposes upon a common carrier the duty “to receive all goods offered that he is able and accustomed to carry, upon compliance with such reasonable regulations as he may adopt for his own safety and the benefit of the public.” To the same effect see Southern Exp. Co. v. R. M. Rose Co., 124 Ga. 581 (53 S. E. 185, 5 L. R. A. (NS) 619). Thus the alleged failure of the named motor common carriers to give service to the petitioner shows a failure to perform a duty required by law, and this suit in equity in the State court is brought to compel performance of that duty. Does the court have jurisdiction to grant the relief sought?

It is contended by counsel for the defendant carriers that the complaint falls squarely within the exclusive jurisdiction of the Interstate Commerce Commission or the Georgia Public Service Commission, since the petition prays that the carriers be enjoined from discriminating against the petitioner. Were this a case involving only a question of discrimination in the promulgation of a rule of practice, it would seem that, under the decisions of the Supreme Court of the United States, the petitioner would be required to first appeal to the Interstate Commerce Commission or to the Georgia Public Service Commission and obtain a determination by those commissions of whether or not discrimination under the facts involved does actually exist. See Texas & Pacific Ry. Co. v. Abilene Cotton Oil Co., 204 U. S. 426 (27 Sup. Ct. 350, 51 L. ed. 553); Baltimore & Ohio R. Co. v. Pitcairn Coal Co., 215 U. S. 481 (30 Sup. Ct. 164, 54 L. ed. 292); Robinson v. Baltimore & Ohio R. Co., 222 U. S. 506 (32 Sup. Ct. 114, 56 L. ed. 288); Mitchell Coal &c. Co. v. Pennsylvania R. Co., 230 U. S. 247 (33 Sup. Ct. 916, 57 L. ed. 1472); Morrisdale Coal Co. v. Pennsylvania R. Co., 230 U. S. 304 (33 Sup. Ct. 938, 57 L. ed. 1494); Pennsylvania R. Co. v. Puritan Coal Mining Co., 237 U. S. 121, 128 (35 Sup. Ct. 484, 59 L. ed. 867); Pennsylvania R. Co. v. Clark Bros. Coal Mining Co., 238 U. S. 456 (35 Sup. Ct. 896, 59 L. ed. 1406); Northern Pacific *613 Ry. Co. v. Solum, 247 U. S. 477 (38 Sup. Ct. 550, 62 L. ed. 1221). But from what has been said above and after a careful examination of the above-cited cases, it appears that the Interstate Commerce Act preserves the existing rights and does not supersede the jurisdiction of the State courts where the case does not involve a determination of matters calling for the exercise of administrative power and discretion by the commission or relate to a subject over which the Federal courts have been given exclusive jurisdiction. Louisville & Nashville R. v. Cook Brewing Co., 223 U. S. 70 (32 Sup. Ct. 189, 56 L. ed. 355); Pennsylvania R. Co. v. Puritan Coal Co., 237 U. S. 121, 131, supra. Certainly the State commission’s powers do not exclude appeals to the courts in cases like this. See Code Ch. 68-6 (Ga. L. 1931, p. 199). The contention of counsel is, therefore, unsound, in that this petition prays that the defendant carriers be enjoined from refusing to perform the duty laid upon them by law, and the petitioner is not seeking to enjoin the continuance of any tariff or to enjoin a rule of practice approved by the commissions because it is discriminatory and unjust.

While a tariff exists, filed by the defendant carriers with both the Interstate Commerce Commission and the Georgia Public Service Commission, a portion of which reads as follows, “where strikes, picketing, riots, or other labor disturbances, or where conditions of streets, roadways, alleys, yards or the exterior or interior of premises make it impracticable, unsafe or impossible to render pick-up and/or delivery service, such service will not be given,” which the defendant carriers claim relieves them from delivering or picking up freight at this picketed store — the stipulation of facts shows that such picketing has been orderly and that no violence, threats of violence or other form of intimidation has been employed since the commencement of the strike. And there was no evidence before the court at the interlocutory hearing showing it to be impracticable, unsafe, or impossible for the carriers to render pick-up and/or delivery service. The tariff of these carriers is not under attack, but the issue merely involves a question of law as to whether or not they could stop service to this shipper since the evidence demanded a finding that it was practicable, safe, and possible for them to enter the premises of the petitioner.

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Bluebook (online)
82 S.E.2d 4, 210 Ga. 608, 5 P.U.R.3d 272, 1954 Ga. LEXIS 386, 34 L.R.R.M. (BNA) 2029, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/beck-gregg-hardware-co-v-cook-ga-1954.