Jones v. Bontempo

30 Ohio Law. Abs. 572, 16 Ohio Op. 267, 1940 Ohio Misc. LEXIS 437
CourtPennsylvania Court of Common Pleas
DecidedJanuary 15, 1940
DocketNos. A-67859, A-69869
StatusPublished

This text of 30 Ohio Law. Abs. 572 (Jones v. Bontempo) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Pennsylvania Court of Common Pleas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Jones v. Bontempo, 30 Ohio Law. Abs. 572, 16 Ohio Op. 267, 1940 Ohio Misc. LEXIS 437 (Pa. Super. Ct. 1940).

Opinion

[573]*573OPINION

By MACK, J.

Each of these captioned cases involves the validity and constitutionality of an amendment to the statutes of Ohio creating the State Board of Barber Examiners, and regulating the business of barbering, which amendment authorizes such board to refuse to issue or renew, or to suspend or revoke any certificate of registration issued to a barber, on account of “advertising of prices of barber services in any form whatsoever by any person, persons, firm or corporation”. In each case a petition has been filed in this court under §1081-18, GC. Each petition states defendants constitute the Board of Barber Examiners; that plaintiff is the owner of a barber shop in Cincinnati and was practicing barbering and conducting his business by virtue of a certificate of registration issued to him by defendant Board; that plaintiff received a notice that he wa.s found guilty of violating §1081-17 (3), GC, and that his certificate of registration was suspended; that plaintiff is dissatisfied with the decision of defendant Board suspending his certificate of registration, and prays that the decision of said Board be set aside and vacated on the grounds that same is unreasonable, unlawful and unconstitutional. No answer, motion or demurrer was filed in either case, but each case has been submitted upon an agreed statement of facts, which, briefly stated, sets forth that the plaintiff in each case violated §1081-17(3), GC, in that “he advertised on his window the price of hair cutting done or to be done in his barber shop at a price of twenty-five cents to all customers,” and that being requested to desist such practice did continue the same, whereupon an affidavit was sworn to by an inspector of the board, alleging such violation, and that the board found plaintiff guilty and suspended his certificate of registration.

For the purposes of the record herein it is suggested that an answer in each case be filed, setting forth that the suspension in question was on account of such advertising of price for hair cutting in the window of plaintiff’s shop, and that a demurrer be filed to such answer. Such pleading would then raise the question of constitutionality upon the record, of the quoted provision, rather than have it raised by a mere agreement as to the facts and briefs of counsel upon the constitutionality of the provision in question. We approach a decision fully bearing in mind the rule that courts should adopt the construction of a statute which upholds it if such course is possible. We are thoroughly impressed with what was said by Judge Parker of the United States Circuit Court of Appeals in a recent address:

“It is unreasonable violation of the rights of the individual which is forbidden to government, not reasonable regulation of matters which have come to be matters of social concern and which affect the life and future of a whole people.”

It is well settled that a license is neither a charter nor a contract, and that its grant may be withheld and its revocation effected at any time, provided that such actions are not influenced by unreasonable and arbitrary considerations, nor amount to a denial of what is secured by the Bill of Rights.

In the consideration of these cases we are not concerned with the power of the legislature to fix prices for services of barbers, on the theory that their profession is “affected with public interest,” but we shall state our conclusions solely with reference to the power of the legislature to prohibit a barber advertising in any form the compensation he will demand for any service of his profession.

Under our form of government (federal, state or municipal) it has always been the acknowledged right of the laborer (in the absence of a valid code of charges) to advertise the price he expects for his services. There is not an iota of fraud in this, nor does such [574]*574advertisement in any manner whatever touch the public health, safety, morals or welfare. Indeed, one would naturally expect that an unadvertised price, stated post factum, might result in a demand so unreasonable that its non-advertisement might be actuated by fraudulent intent. Surely honest, open dealing can never bear such taint. It is inconceivable how the true expression of a fact, such as the amount asked for service, can in any remotest degree affect the public health, morals, safety or welfare.

Not even one, whose imagination enables him to thoroughly comprehend the art of the school of post impressionism or cubism, could upon any hypothesis whatever conjure up any relationship between posting a price for service and the public health, safety, morals or welfare.

By an act passed June 8, 1933, the legislature of Ohio created the State Board of Barber Examiners and regulated the business of bafbering (115 Ohio Laws 312 to 321). Such law became §§1081-1 to 1081-27, GC, inclusive. Clearly such law was authorized in the interests of public health and morals. A reference to Section 17 thereof will illustrate this, because it authorized the board to either refuse to issue or renew, or gave power to suspend or revoke any certificate of registration for conviction of a felony, barbering by a person knowingly having an infectious or contagious disease, advertising by means of knowingly false or deceptive statements, advertising or practicing under a name other than one’s own, habitual drunkenness, or addiction to use of morphine, etc., immoral or unprofessional conduct, etc., etc.

It will be noted that under such original act §1081-17(3) originally forbids “advertising by means of knowingly false or deceptive statements.”

In 1937 (117 Ohio Laws, at page 342) there was added to the quoted words of §1081-17(3) the words “and advertising of prices of barber services in any form whatsoever by any person, persons, firm or corporation”. It will thus be seen that while the original wording was for the purpose of protecting the public against fraud or deception, yet the added words in no respect whatever had such purpose, nor do such added words relate in any respect to public health, safety, morals or general welfare.

Whatever may be the views of a court in observing the oath to administer justice, nevertheless trial judges are bound by authoritative rulings of the reviewing courts and hesitate to reach a conclusion contrary to the persuasive declarations of courts of other states. Accordingly we turn from our own impressions to adjudicated cases in order to determine whether our conclusions have a substantial basis.

Nothwithstanding the rule as to the granting or withholding of a license, and notwithstanding §1081-18, GC, expressly authorizes this court to set aside, vacate or modify any decision of the Board of Barber Examiners “on the ground that the same is unreasonable or unlawful,” it has long been established in this state that courts will review a license law, which, by reason of operating unequally, violates the constitutional rights of a citizen. State v Gardner, 58 Oh St 599; Harmon v State, 66 Oh St 249.

It was said oy the Supreme Court in State ex rel Monnett v Buckeye Pipe Line Co., 61 Oh St 520, speaking through Shauck, CJ., at page 548, with reference to the inviolability of the rights of liberty and property, except as such rights are limited by public welfare or the exercise of police power:

“Although that power may not be conclusively defined, its nature and attributes have been the subject of much investigation.

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Related

Semler v. Oregon State Board of Dental Examiners
294 U.S. 608 (Supreme Court, 1935)
In Re Kazas
70 P.2d 962 (California Court of Appeal, 1937)
Jarvis v. State Board of Barber Examiners
1938 OK 525 (Supreme Court of Oklahoma, 1938)
Semler v. Oregon State Board of Dental Examiners
34 P.2d 311 (Oregon Supreme Court, 1934)
Goe v. Gifford
191 S.E. 783 (Supreme Court of Virginia, 1937)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
30 Ohio Law. Abs. 572, 16 Ohio Op. 267, 1940 Ohio Misc. LEXIS 437, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/jones-v-bontempo-pactcompl-1940.