Forbes v. Board of County Commissioners

23 Colo. 344
CourtSupreme Court of Colorado
DecidedSeptember 15, 1896
StatusPublished
Cited by27 cases

This text of 23 Colo. 344 (Forbes v. Board of County Commissioners) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Colorado primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Forbes v. Board of County Commissioners, 23 Colo. 344 (Colo. 1896).

Opinion

Mr. Justice Goddard

delivered the opinion of the court.

On the 26th day of April, 1894, Albert R. Forbes, plain[345]*345tiff in error, brought this action against the board of county commissioners of Grand county, defendant in error, in the county court of Arapahoe county, to recover on several of its county warrants issued and registered at various times between August 22, 1882, and January 22, 1886. These warrants are not set out in Tic/ee verba, but the complaint avers that they are in the following form:

And that they were issued upon just and valid claims, audited and allowed by the board for services rendered and materials furnished to and for Grand county. It further avers that all of said warrants are unpaid, and that after their registration the plaintiff purchased them, and is now the holder and owner thereof. That at no time since the execution and delivery of said warrants has there been any money in the hands of Grand county, not otherwise appropriated, for their payment; nor has any treasurer of Grand county ever made a call for the payment of said warrants, nor any offer to pay the same.

To this complaint the defendant demurred for the following reasons:

“1. Because the said complaint does not state facts sufficient to constitute a cause of action.

“ 2. Because the said defendant and its predecessors, as appears from said complaint, have not, within six years prior [346]*346to the commencement of this action, promised to pay the said several sums of money in said complaint mentioned, or any of them.

“3. Because the said action, as appears from said complaint, is barred by the statute of limitations in such case made and provided.

“ 4. Because the said court has not jurisdiction to hear or determine, this action.

“ 5. Because, as appears from said complaint, this action can be tried only in the county of Grand, to which county this court has no authority in law to transfer the said cause.”

This demurrer was overruled as to the first, fourth and fifth paragraphs, and sustained as to the second and third paragraphs. To the order of the court overruling the said paragraphs of the demurrer, the defendant excepted. To so much of the order as sustained the second and third paragraphs, the plaintiff excepted; and, electing to stand by his complaint, judgment was entered in favor of defendant for costs.

The plaintiff brings the case here, relying for a reversal of the judgment upon the ruling of the court below sustaining the demurrer, upon the ground that the statute of limitations barred his right of action; but concurs with the defendant in asking that we consider the rulings upon the other grounds of the demurrer, since it is desired that the merits of each of the defenses may be considered upon this review. These defenses present three propositions, viz.:

First. Was the action barred by the statute of limitations?

Second. If not, does the complaint state facts sufficient to entitle plaintiff to maintain an action against the county on the warrants in question?

Third. Did the county court of Arapahoe county have jurisdiction to hear and determine the case ?

The decision of the first proposition must necessarily depend upon the solution of the second, since it is evident that unless it appears from the allegations of the complaint that a cause of action exists, and that such cause of action [347]*347accrued more than six years prior to the commencement of the suit, the bar of the statute could not be successfully invoked by the demurrer; and also that if the complaint fails to show that a cause of action has accrued upon the warrants at any time, the judgment of the court below must be upheld, notwithstanding its ruling upon the first proposition was erroneous. While it may be that under some circumstances an action may lie to recover a money judgment, against a county upon orders or warrants of this character, yet the policy of the legislature, as evidenced by the various enactments prescribing the manner in which the finances of a county shall be administered, is manifestly against the maintenance of such a suit.

By the act of March 24, 1877, chap. 23, Gen. Stats. 1883, full and express provision is made for the audit and payment of claims against the county. It is therein provided that claims against a county shall be presented to, and audited by, its board of county commissioners; and if allowed, an order upon the treasurer, for its payment out of the proper fund, shall be issued therefor, as provided by law. Id., secs. 538, 546. When any claim, of any person, shall be disallowed in whole or in part, such person may appeal to the district court. •> Id., see. 547. Such orders are entitled to a preference as to payment, according to the order of time in which they may be presented to the county treasurer. Id., see. 637. The treasurer is required to keep in his office a book, called the “Register of County Orders,” wherein he is required to enter the date of the presentation, the date and number of such order, the amount for which the same is payable, the name of the person to whom such order is payable, the name of the person presenting the same. Id., sec. 643. It is also provided that every fund in the hands of the county treasurer for disbursement shall be paid out in the order in which the orders drawn thereon shall be presented for payment. Id., sec. 644. And it is made a misdemeanor for the treasurer to fail, neglect or refuse to keep such a register, and to enter therein at the time of presentation, every county order [348]*348which may be presented to him for payment; or to refuse to pay any order presented to him for payment, there being then money in the treasury appropriated for the payment thereof; or to pay any such order, there not being then remaining in the treasury money sufficient wherefrom all orders drawn on the same fund, and previously presented, may lawfully be paid. Id., sec. 646.

Section 2, page 93, Laws of 1879, amending section 4, chap. 49, Gen. Laws, enacts:

“ County orders and warrants, and other like evidences, or certificates of indebtedness * * * shall bear interest at the rate of ten per cent, per annum from the date of presentation thereof for payment at the treasury where the same may be payable, until there is money in the treasury for the payment thereof, except as in special cases otherwise provided by law; and every county treasurer to whom any such order or warrant is presented for payment shall endorse thereon the rate of interest said order or warrant will draw, and the date of such presentation, and subscribe such endorsement with his official signature.”

By an act approved March 20, 1877, entitled “ An Act to ' Provide for the Assessment and Collection of Revenue,” etc., in section 6 it is provided that there shall be levied and assessed upon taxable real and personal property within this state each year, the following taxes :

“For ordinary county revenue, including the support of the poor, not more than ten mills on the dollar; for the support of schools, not less than two nor more than five mills on the dollar; for road purposes, not more than five mills on the dollar, and a poll tax not to exceed one dollar for such purposes, as shall be determined by the county commissioners of each county.” Sec. 2816, Gen. Stats. 1883.

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23 Colo. 344, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/forbes-v-board-of-county-commissioners-colo-1896.