Farnow v. Department 1 of the Eighth Judicial District Court of the State of Nevada Ex Rel. County of Clark

178 P.2d 371, 64 Nev. 109, 1947 Nev. LEXIS 44
CourtNevada Supreme Court
DecidedFebruary 24, 1947
Docket3465
StatusPublished
Cited by9 cases

This text of 178 P.2d 371 (Farnow v. Department 1 of the Eighth Judicial District Court of the State of Nevada Ex Rel. County of Clark) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Nevada Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Farnow v. Department 1 of the Eighth Judicial District Court of the State of Nevada Ex Rel. County of Clark, 178 P.2d 371, 64 Nev. 109, 1947 Nev. LEXIS 44 (Neb. 1947).

Opinion

OPINION

By the Court,

HORSEY, J.:

Las Vegas Aerie No. 1213, Fraternal Order of Eagles, brought an action in the Eighth judicial district court, *111 Clark County, against Harry D. Farnow, petitioner herein, praying judgment for the restitution of certain valuable premises in the business district of the city of Las Vegas. Farnow’s demurrer to the complaint was overruled, whereupon he answered the complaint, and thereafter plaintiff served and filed its reply.

Plaintiff’s said action was brought under the provisions of the forcible entry and detainer chapter of the civil practice act, secs. 9132-9152, N.C.L. 1929: “At any time after the filing of complaint and issuance of summons, upon application therefor, the court may issue a temporary writ of restitution; provided, however, that before the issuance of such writ the party applying therefor shall execute, present for approval of the court and file a good and sufficient bond, provided by law, in the sum of not less than five hundred ($500) dollars, to indemnify the party or parties against whom the temporary writ may be issued.” Stats, of Nevada 1939, chap. 135, pp. 171, 172, 2 N.C.L.Supp. 1931-1941, p. 1232, sec. 9140.

After filing its said reply and before the expiration of the time allowed by law for defendant to demur thereto, plaintiff, acting under the provisions of said amendatory provision, made an ex parte application to the district 'court for a temporary writ of restitution. That court without any notice to defendant Farnow, directed the issuance of the writ after first requiring plaintiff to furnish a bond in the sum of $5,000. Upon being issued, the writ was placed in the hands of the sheriff of Clark County. Thereupon Farnow applied to this court for a writ of prohibition, and an alternative writ was issued.

In his application petitioner alleges, among other things, that he conducts a drug store business in the premises described in the complaint; that the volume of business for several months preceding the filing of his application had exceeded the sum of $500 gross per day; that he believes the amount of his said gross income will increase day by day; that he employs 15 persons to *112 handle said business; that licensed pharmacists dispense prescriptions needed for the health of the community; and that unless the sheriff be restrained from serving the writ, Farnow will be damaged to the extent of $25,000 or more. He further alleges that the provisions of said amended sec. 9140, insofar as they provide for an ex parte issuance of a temporary writ of restitution, “are unconstitutional and void in that they deprive the person against whom the writ is issued of due process of law; that the designation of a bond in the sum of $5,000.00 by said District Court in said particular action was in excess of its jurisdiction, was discriminatory against your petitioner, and if said writ of restitution is allowed to be enforced said petitioner will be irreparably damaged thereby; that the amount of said bond is inequitable. * * * that the provisions of Nevada Compiled Laws 9140, as amended, are discriminatory and unconstitutional insofar as they provide for an ex parte issuance of a temporary writ of restitution without an appeal therefrom.”

Respondents, as a return to the alternative writ, demurred to the petition upon the ground that it does not state facts sufficient to constitute a ground for the issuance of a writ of prohibition. Thereafter said petition and return came on for hearing, and upon submission of the matters argued, it was stipulated that the court might enter its ruling upon reaching a decision— the opinion to be filed later at the convenience of the court. After due consideration, this court made the following order: “It is now ordered and adjudged that the alternative writ heretofore issued be, and the same is hereby, made final, upon the ground that the lower court was without jurisdiction to make the orders complained of in the petition and exceeded its jurisdiction in making said orders, and that petitioner has no other plain, speedy and adequate remedy in the ordinary course of law. Said court lacked jurisdiction and exceeded its jurisdiction because the last sentence of amended sec. *113 9140, N.C.L. 1929, Stats, of Nevada. 1939, chap. 135, pp. 171, 172, 2 N.C.L.Supp. 1931-1941, p. 1232, is unconstitutional in that it violates the provisions of the due process clause of the state and federal constitutions. [Const. Nev. art. 1, sec. 8; Const.U.S. Amend. 14]. It is further ordered and adjudged that the respondents be permanently restrained from any further proceedings under said statutory provision.”

Before any opinion was prepared or filed by the court, respondents filed a petition for rehearing, to which petitioner thereafter filed his answer. We granted a rehearing, and oral arguments thereon were subsequently presented by counsel for the respective parties. This opinion is intended to cover both our original ruling and the rehearing.

The single sentence added to sec. 9140 by way of amendment in 1939 is the only statutory provision in this state dealing with writs of restitution in forcible entry or unlawful detainer proceedings. Does this amendment violate the due process clauses of the Nevada and United States constitutions? After careful reconsideration on the rehearing we have concluded our original decision was correct.

The amendment empowers a landlord to dispossess his tenant without notice or an opportunity to be heard. It is the most drastic remedy we know of in cases of this kind. In State ex rel. German Sav. & Loan Soc. v. Prather, 19 Wash. 336, 53 P. 344, 67 Am.St.Rep. 729, one of the authorities relied on by respondents, the constitutionality of a statute was upheld, though it contained the following provision: “The plaintiff, at the time of commencing an action of forcible entry or forcible detainer or unlawful detainer, or at any time after-wards, may apply to the judge of the court in which the action is pending for a writ of restitution restoring to the plaintiff the property in the complaint described, and the judge shall order a writ of restitution to issue.” 2 Ballinger’s Codes and Statutes, sec. 5534, pp. 1545, *114 1546. The statute required, as does the Nevada amendment, that plaintiff must furnish a bond before the writ issue.

But the Washington statute contained these further provisions: “The sheriff shall, upon receiving the writ of restitution, forthwith serve a copy thereof upon the defendant, his agent or attorney, or a person in possession of the premises, and shall not execute the same for three days thereafter, within which time the defendant, or those in possession of the premises, may execute to the plaintiff a bond to be filed with and approved by the clerk of the court, in such a sum as may be fixed by the' judge, with two or more sureties to be approved by the clerk of said court, conditioned that they will pay the plaintiff such sum as the plaintiff may recover for the use and occupation of the said premises, or any rent found due, together with all damages the plaintiff may sustain by reason of the defendant occupying or keeping possession of said premises, and also all the costs of the action.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

CITY OF RENO v. DIST. CT. (CONRAD) (CIVIL)
142 Nev. Adv. Op. No. 13 (Nevada Supreme Court, 2026)
Resnik v. Quality Loan Serv. Corp.
Nevada Supreme Court, 2022
People v. St. Omer
59 V.I. 89 (Superior Court of The Virgin Islands, 2012)
Dangberg Holdings Nevada, L.L.C. v. Douglas County
978 P.2d 311 (Nevada Supreme Court, 1999)
Sheriff, Nye County v. Davis
787 P.2d 1241 (Nevada Supreme Court, 1990)
Suarez v. Christian
18 V.I. 581 (Virgin Islands, 1981)
Gibby's, Inc. v. Aylett
615 P.2d 949 (Nevada Supreme Court, 1980)
Beyer v. Second Judicial District Court
221 P.2d 1024 (Nevada Supreme Court, 1950)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
178 P.2d 371, 64 Nev. 109, 1947 Nev. LEXIS 44, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/farnow-v-department-1-of-the-eighth-judicial-district-court-of-the-state-nev-1947.