City of Dayton v. Stearns

267 N.E.2d 328, 26 Ohio Misc. 115, 55 Ohio Op. 2d 194, 1971 Ohio Misc. LEXIS 251
CourtCity of Dayton Municipal Court
DecidedFebruary 18, 1971
DocketNo. 328199
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 267 N.E.2d 328 (City of Dayton v. Stearns) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering City of Dayton Municipal Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
City of Dayton v. Stearns, 267 N.E.2d 328, 26 Ohio Misc. 115, 55 Ohio Op. 2d 194, 1971 Ohio Misc. LEXIS 251 (Ohio Super. Ct. 1971).

Opinion

A. BACKGROUND

Rice, J.

This cause came on to be heard upon the defendant’s supplemental motion for a new trial. The defendant was found guilty, by the court, of a violation of the city of Dayton ordinance relating to the second-hand automobile dealers licensing law (Section 655). A motion for new trial, submitted without case law or statutory authorities, was timely filed by the defendant and was overruled by the court. The defendant then filed this supplemental motion for a new trial, together with a memorandum, setting forth, for the first time, the authorities relied upon.

The question of the constitutionality of the ordinance, going as it does to the matter of the court’s jurisdiction, may be raised at any time.

B. THE FACTS

The facts of the case at bar are not in dispute and may be conveniently stated as follows:

The defendant, having once previously been convicted [116]*116of a violation of the city ordinance requiring the licensing of second-hand automobile dealers, advertised three automobiles, titled in his name, for sale in the Dayton newspapers in June of 1969. One Robert Hochman, inquiring about a 1947 Willys Jeep with snow plow, with a “For Sale” sign attached, sitting in the defendant’s yard, inquired of the defendant and was told by him that the vehicle was for sale. Negotiations as to price and the manner and means of payment were discussed, although Hoch-man did not, in the end, purchase the jeep. During their conversation, the defendant indicated that several other vehicles on the premises were for sale, although no price was discussed. Walter Seikel, the executive director of the Miami Valley Automobile Dealers Association, stated that on several occasions, prior to the defendant’s June 15, 1969, arrest, he (Seikel) observed the same “For Sale” sign on different cars parked on the defendant’s front lawn.

The defendant, for his testimony, indicated that these three automobiles advertised in the papers, and others viewed on the premises by Seikel, were originally bought by him for his own personal and business use and that it was only in June of 1969, when faced with mounting personal bills and obligations that he decided to liquidate his interests in them to raise money. There was testimony that at least one of the cars advertised was sold for a $75.00 profit.

The 1947 Willys Jeep with attached snow plow that was offered to Hochman on June 15, was obtained by the defendant and title taken in his name on dune 13, 1969. This vehicle was advertised for sale in the newspapers for a period of nine (9) days beginning on June 12, 1969 (one day before he took title). Close scrutiny of these dates (a car advertised in the papers as “For Sale” one day prior to his taking title and a verbal offer to sell to a perfect stranger some two days after taking title) belies the defendant’s contention that these vehicles were purchased for his personal use (a snow plow in June! ! !) and that he decided to sell only after he became financially hard pressed.

[117]*117In the face of such evidence, the defendant contends that these sales or displays for sale were casual in nature, not in the defendant’s regular course of business, and that, therefore, he is not criminally liable under Section 655 of the Ordinances of the city of Dayton regulating the sale of second-hand automobiles without a license. The state statute regulating the licensing of automobile dealers and salesmen for the sale of automobiles, R. C. 4517.01 et seq, (analogous to Section 655-62 of the Dayton Ordinances) in defining the term “engaging in business” clearly states that “making a casual sale is not engaging in business” (R. C. 4517.01), and thus exempts the casual sale from the licensing requirements of R. C. 4517.18. The defendant thus contends that the city ordinance which, while placing an absolute prohibition on sales or displaying for sale of automobiles without a license, does not contain a casual sales exemption, is unconstitutional as being in conflict with the state law on the subject and thus violative of Article XVIII, Section 3 of the Ohio Constitution. That constitutional section along with Section 7 allows municipalities (whether governed by a charter such as Dayton’s or not) to have the authority to exercise all powers of local self-government and to adopt and enforce within their limits such local police, sanitary, and other similar regulations as are not in conflict with the general laws (laws having state wide application).

R. C. 4517.01 to 4517.99 relate to the licensing of automobile dealers and salesmen, the applications for licensing and the fees charged for said licenses. R. C. 4517.01 provides definitions applicable to all the above sections; R. C. 4517.18 provides that no person shall engage in the business of selling, displaying, offering for sale, or dealing in motor vehicles at retail without having a license therefor as required by R. C. 4517.01 et seq. R. C. 4517.01 (F) in defining the terms “engaging in business,” states, in pertinent part, that same means “commencing, conducting or continuing in business * * * making a casual sale is not engaging in business.” R. C. 4517.01 (J) in defining a dealer within the terms of the law requiring him to be [118]*118licensed, indicates that one of the criteria is that snch person maintain a place of business which is maintained for the exclusive business of selling, displaying for sale, or dealing in motor vehicles.

Section 655 of the G-eneral Ordinances of the city of Dayton requires that any person, firm or corporation engaging in the business of buying, selling or displaying for sale in the city of Dayton, either as principal or agent for another, second-hand automobiles, must first secure and have in effect a license obtained from the city of Dayton. Section 656 to 659 of said ordinances regulate the term of said license, the fee for same and the duty, time for filing and content of certain reports required to be filed with the Chief of Police of Dayton with regard to traffic in secondhand automobiles. Section 662 sets forth the penalties for violations of these sections, declaring such violation to be a misdemeanor and fixing the penalty for each violation beyond the first such infraction.

C. THE ISSUE

The legal issue presented herein is whether Sections 655 to 662 of the General Ordinances of the city of Dayton regulating the licensing of second-hand automobile dealers or salesmen are constitutional as a duly authorized exercise of the power of local self-government (or a police regulation not in conflict with the general law) or unconstitutional as being police regulations in conflict with a general or state law on the subject (R. 0. 4517.01 et seq.) and thus violative of Article XVIII, Section 3 of the Ohio Constitution. The aforementioned constitutional section provides that municipalities shall have authority to exercise all powers of local self-government and to adopt and enforce within their jurisdictions such local police, sanitary and other similar regulations as are not in conflict with the general laws.

D. THE DECISION AND THE REASONING

It is clear, whether the automobile sales or displaying for sale, in the instant case, be considered casual or regular or whether the defendant maintains his premises exclusively for the sale or displaying for sale of automobiles [119]

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Bluebook (online)
267 N.E.2d 328, 26 Ohio Misc. 115, 55 Ohio Op. 2d 194, 1971 Ohio Misc. LEXIS 251, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/city-of-dayton-v-stearns-ohmunictdayton-1971.