Cochran v. Cavanaugh

252 S.W. 284, 1923 Tex. App. LEXIS 259
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedApril 21, 1923
DocketNo. 8995.
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 252 S.W. 284 (Cochran v. Cavanaugh) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Texas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Cochran v. Cavanaugh, 252 S.W. 284, 1923 Tex. App. LEXIS 259 (Tex. Ct. App. 1923).

Opinion

JONES, C. J.

Appellees James Cavan-augh and Mary Cavanaugh, husband and wife, who reside in Travis county, Tex., brought this suit in the district court of Dallas county, Tex., against the members of the board of regents of the University of Texas, the members of the University land acquisition board, the county judge of Travis county, Tex., and the Attorney General of the state of Texas, asking for a temporary injunction restraining appellants in their official capacities, during the pendency of said suit, from filing or causing to he filed, or directing the filing, of proceedings in condemnation against appellees’ property located in the city of Austin, Travis county, Tex., and fully described in the petition for injunction; also enjoining the Attorney General from filing and prosecuting such proceedings, and the county judge of Travis county from appointing commissioners of condemnation in such proceedings. On presentation of the petition, the judge of said court granted the injunction as prayed for, conditioned that appellees file a bond in the sum of $10,000. On December 9, 1922, the date on which said petition was filed, the bond was duly approved by the clerk of the court, and the writ prayed for was duly issued against each of the appellants.

Appellants, on December 29, 1922, gave notice of appeal from the order granting the temporary injunction and bring this matter to this court for review and revision. The case is before this court solely on the allegations contained in appellees’ petition, and on this hearing the facts alleged in the petition must be taken as true.

The petition for injunction attacks the constitutionality of an act of the Thirty-Seventh Legislature, being chapter 137 of the General Laws of the State of Texas, passed at the regular session of said Legislature and approved on April 1, 1921. By said act the Governor of the state of Texas is authorized to appoint a committee to purchase certain described land lying adjacent to the State University at Austin in Travis county for the extension of the University grounds. The caption of the bill states its purpose, and is as follows:

“An act authorizing the Governor of Texas to appoint a commission composed of thr.ee citizens of the state of Texas, to purchase additional lands adjacent to the University property, in the city of Austin, fo.r the use and benefit of the University of Texas; prescribing the duties of such commission and describing the land to be purchased by the commission; authorizing condemnation proceedings in event the land desired cannot be acquired at reasonable price without such condemnation; making appropriation for the purchase of the same and directing how and when the same shall be paid for and requiring a bond from certain citizens of Austin guaranteeing that the land can be acquired at an amount not exceeding the sum herein appropriated, and declaring an emergency.”

One million three hundred and fifty thousand dollars was appropriated by the act to purchase the land described therein;' said lands being located adjacent to the property now owned and occupied by the State University. Before, however, this appropriation could be used by the commission in the purchase of this land, a solvent guarahty bond must be executed by the chamber of commerce or citizens of Austin guaranteeing to said commission that the land described in the act can be secured with the proceeds of the-appropriation made. The commission of three citizens of Texas, authorized by the act to be appointed by the Governor, is given the official designation of the “University land acquisition board,.’* For convenience it will be styled in this opinion the “acquisition board.”

The acquisition board named by the Governor perfected its organization and has begun to carry out the purposes of the act. It is clothed with full power, to purchase all the various tracts of land from the respective owners lying within the described district. This purchase can be made either with or without the improvements now on the land. It is also clothed with full power to condemn any parcel of lan’d for which the purchase cannot be consummated between the acquisition board and the owners. The guaranty bond was duly executed, being signed by approximately 1,600 citizens of the city of Austin, and its solvency approved as required by the act.

The acquisition board is authorized and empowered to institute condemnation proceedings, in the name of the state of Texas for the use of the University of Texas, for any parcel of land within the described district that it is unable to acquire from the owner by purchase. The University board of regents is also given the power of eminent domain for the purpose of acquiring this land. Upon a failure in this respect it is made the duty of sáid acquisition board to institute the said condemnation proceedings. This power of eminent domain is to be exercised in the same manner as the law provides for the exercise of such power by railroad companies in acquiring rights of way. The procedure prescribed in respect to the exercise of the power of eminent domain by railroad compaines is specifically designated as the procedure to be used by *286 these boards in the exercise of this power in respect to this land.

The petition alleges that appellees refused to sell their land to the acquisition board, refused to agree upon a price for the value of same with said board, and that unless prevented by the restraining power of the court, the condemnation proceedings authorized in said act will be begun against ap-pellees and their land taken through such means. The petition attacks the constitutionality of the act in question on various grounds, not necessary now to enumerate, but which will appear from this opinion.

From appellees’ standpoint this suit is an action to restrain certain official representatives of the state from performing certain duties and functions prescribed by an invalid legislative enactment. It follows that appellees have the right to maintain this suit without legislative permission. Philadelphia Co. v. Stimson, Secretary of War, 223 U. S. 605, 32 Sup. Ct. 340, 56 L. Ed. 570, and authorities there cited. Whether appellees are entitled to the relief they secured by the judgment of the lower court rests solely upon the validity of said act. If it is valid, then it necessarily follows that the temporary injunction was wrongfully granted, for the official representatives of the state cannot be restrained from the performance of a duty placed upon them by a valid statutory enactment.

We cannot agree with appellees on any of the theories upon which they challenge the constitutionality of this act. It does not take appellees’ land without due process of law, nor does it deprive appellees of the equal protection of the law, as contended by appellees. The act adopts as a mode of procedure, in acquiring the land un.der the power of eminent domain the existing law governing the exercise of such power in condemnation of land to be used as a right of way for railroads. The procedure, in brief, provides for the filing of a statement or petition in a court of competent jurisdiction; of the appointment and qualification of commissioners; of the setting of a day for hearing; the issuance and service of adequate notice of the hearing, and of the right of a trial by jury and appeal through the courts. Revised Statutes, arts. 6506 to 6528, inclusive. This meets the requirements of'the due process of law provisions.

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Bluebook (online)
252 S.W. 284, 1923 Tex. App. LEXIS 259, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/cochran-v-cavanaugh-texapp-1923.