LAKE CTY. COUNCIL v. Arredondo

363 N.E.2d 218
CourtIndiana Supreme Court
DecidedMay 20, 1977
Docket477S282
StatusPublished
Cited by12 cases

This text of 363 N.E.2d 218 (LAKE CTY. COUNCIL v. Arredondo) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Indiana Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
LAKE CTY. COUNCIL v. Arredondo, 363 N.E.2d 218 (Ind. 1977).

Opinion

363 N.E.2d 218 (1977)

LAKE COUNTY COUNCIL, Petitioner,
v.
Honorable Lorenzo ARREDONDO and Lake County Court, Division II and Honorable Orval W. Anderson and Lake County Court, Division III, Respondents.

No. 477S282.

Supreme Court of Indiana.

May 18, 1977.
Dissenting Opinion May 20, 1977.

*219 James L. Weiser, Highland, for petitioner.

Bernard M. Tetek, Gary, for respondent Hon. Lorenzo Arredondo, Judge, & Lake County Court, Division II.

Lowell E. Enslen, McHie, Enslen & Moran, Hammond, for respondent Hon. Orval W. Anderson, Judge, & Lake County Court, Division III.

PRENTICE, Justice.

This is an expedited review of the opinion and decree of the Lake County Courts, Divisions II and III, Jack A. King, Special Judge presiding. The appeal has been submitted, without formal briefs, upon objections of both the petitioner and the respondents, citations and oral arguments presented to this Court on May 2, 1977.

On January 3, 1977, both respondent courts entered orders by which budgets for the calendar year 1977 were mandated of the petitioner, Lake County Council. The Council filed petitions for trials upon the merits, which said petitions were consolidated and heard April 12th and 13th by the Special Judge appointed by this Court; and said petitions were determined by the opinion and decree entered April 18, 1977, and now before us for review.

Said decree, in part, granted certain of the relief sought and certain modified relief and in part denied relief. In all, the decree reduced the sums mandated by Division II from $228,376.00 to $176,149.00 and the sums mandated by Division III from $221,376.00 to $173,493.00.

The issues presented by the objections of the parties are as follows:

(1) Were the denials of relief and the modifications proper, i.e. was there sufficient evidence to sustain findings that the sums mandated by the original orders, as modified by the decree, were reasonably necessary for the operation of the courts?

(2) Did the court err in admitting evidence regarding events that occurred subsequent to the entry of the mandate orders of January 3, 1977?

(3) May the County Courts appoint commissioners?

ISSUE I

This issue is governed by appellate rules applicable generally to the legality of judgments as determined by the evidence. In such cases, we do not inject ourselves to reevaluate the evidence. Rather, we will affirm if there was substantial evidence of probative value to sustain the decision of the trial court. Baum v. State (1976), Ind., 345 N.E.2d 831 and cases there cited. Absent such evidence, or in the event of evidence being without conflict and leading to but one reasonable conclusion which is contrary to the decision of the trial court, such decision is contrary to law. State ex rel. Flaugher v. Rogers (1948), 226 Ind. 32, 77 N.E.2d 594.

*220 It was acknowledged in oral arguments that there was probative evidence presented in support of the reasonable necessity of each item mandated and against which no relief or only modified relief was granted; and we cannot say that the decision was, in any regard, contrary to law as permitting the mandate of funds for any item or service not reasonably necessary for the operation of the respondent courts.

ISSUE II

The petitioner assigned error by the trial court in admitting evidence of certain events that occurred subsequent to the date of mandate, its position being that the propriety of the mandate would have to be determined prospectively, as of its date, and not by hindsight. We agree with this position in principle, but we do not agree that the court determining the petition for relief could not hear such evidence. Its determination is required to rest upon relevant evidence, and to the extent practicable, irrelevant evidence should be excluded. Relevance, however, is the logical tendency of evidence to prove a material fact. Walker v. State (1976), Ind., 349 N.E.2d 161. The exact nature of the evidence complained of was not disclosed. That it was of occurrences subsequent to the date of the mandate, however, did not necessarily render it irrelevant.

ISSUE III

One of the items in each budget mandated was a salary allowance for a "court commissioner." In granting relief as to such item, the trial judge responded:

"There is no statutory provision specifically authorizing the appointment of a commissioner by a county court. I.C. 1971, XX-X-XX-X et seq. contains no reference to county courts. The statute by which these courts were created, I.C. 1971, XX-XX-X-X-X, authorizes a county court judge to appoint `such other employees as are necessary.' However, the same statute prohibits the appointment of a judge pro-tem on any permanent basis, I.C. 1971, 33-10.5-5-1, and it is uncontroverted that these commissioners are to be utilized at least in part for that very purpose. In addition, I.C. 1971, XX-X-XX-X was in effect when the County Court Law was enacted in 1975. Had the General Assembly intended to authorize the appointment of commissioners by county court judges it could have done so with relative ease. The commissioners contemplated by the judges in this litigation are intended to perform judicial functions. If that is necessary the legislature should create more judges or specifically authorize county court commissioners."

On review, the respondents acknowledge the absence of statutory authority, other than as might be inferentially included in the provisions for "such other employees as are necessary * * *" in Ind. Code (Burns 1975) 33-10.5-8-2; but they assert the inherent authority of courts to do all things that are reasonably necessary for the administration of justice within the scope of their jurisdiction, which, of course, includes the employment of necessary personnel. Additionally, undisputed evidence was present indicating that without such commissioners, said courts will be unable to adjudicate the volume of cases to come before them with acceptable dispatch.

In none of their cited authorities,[1] do we find precedent for a court to appoint a *221 master commissioner (30A C.J.S. Equity § 515) or referee (76 C.J.S. References § 3) of the nature here contemplated, i.e. one who in a continuing fashion would function, in essence, as the judge — although subject to the judge's subsequent approval.

Without question, the county courts are vested with the inherent authority as above stated.

"* * * The functions of the City Court of the City of Hammond are as truly judicial in character (although limited in scope) as that of any other court in the State of Indiana. In our view, in order for it to operate independently, freely and with absolute integrity, it is as important for it, if not more so than a higher court, not to be hampered and interfered with for lack of funds withheld by a local legislative body. The constitutional `umbrella of protection' covers all courts in Indiana in the performance of their judicial functions — be they small or be they large. We can see no reason for any distinction." Carlson v. State ex rel. Stodola (1966), 247 Ind. 631, 636, 220 N.E.2d 532, 535.

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