Lloyd v. Dollisin

13 Ohio C.C. Dec. 571, 3 Ohio C.C. (n.s.) 328
CourtGuernsey Circuit Court
DecidedJuly 1, 1902
StatusPublished

This text of 13 Ohio C.C. Dec. 571 (Lloyd v. Dollisin) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Guernsey Circuit Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Lloyd v. Dollisin, 13 Ohio C.C. Dec. 571, 3 Ohio C.C. (n.s.) 328 (Ohio Super. Ct. 1902).

Opinion

COOK, J.

The objection made to' the detention of plaintiff by the sheriff of Guernsey county is that the court has no jurisdiction for the reason that the act of the general assembly by favor of which the affidavit was made is unconstitutional and that it is too indefinite and vague to be enforced. The act was passed April 3, 1902, 95 O. Iv. 87, and purports to take effect from the date of its passage and is known as the Beal municipal local option law.

A large number of objections are made by plaintiff: that it contravenes Sec. 26, Art. 2 of the constitution; that it contravenes Sec. 1, Art. 2; that it contravenes Sec. 18, Art. 1; that it contravenes Sec. 10, Art. 1; that it contravenes Secs. 1 and 2 of the bill of rights; that the word “ wholesale,” is indefinite and vague; that the fines are improperly disposed of; and other objections that will be noted.

The questions made principally respect the constitution of our own state and must therefore be considered and determined in the light of the decisions of our own state and but little assistance can be derived from the decisions of other states, as the constitution of the different states differ very materially in their provisions upon the questions involved.

The first two objections may be considered together. Section 26, Art. 2, provides : “All laws of a general nature, shall have a uniform operation throughout the states; nor, shall any act, except such as [573]*573relates to public schools, be passed, to take effect upon the approval of any other authority than the general assembly, except, as otherwise provided in this constitution.”

Section 1, Art. 2, provides: “ The legislative power of this state shall be vested in a general assembly, which shall consist of a senate, and house of representatives.”

Sections 4364-20a and 4364-20b, Rev. Stat'. (95 O. L. 87), are the sections of the Beal law in controversy and provide as follows: “ Section 4364-20a. That whenever forty per cent, of the qualified electors of any municipal corporation shall petition council thereof for the privilege to determine by ballot whether the sale of intoxicating liquors as a beverage shall be prohibited within the limits of such municipal corporation, such council shall order a special election to be held in not less than twenty nor more than thirty days from the filing of such petition with the mayor of the municipal corporation or from the presentation of such petition to said council, which said petition shall be filed as a public document with the clerk of the municipality, and preserved for reference and inspection and which election shall be held at the usualplace or places for holding municipal elections, and notice shall be given and the election conducted in all respects as provided by law for the election of members of the council of the corporation, so far as said law may be applicable. The result of such election shall forthwith be entered upon the record of the proceedings of the council of the corporation by the clerk thereof; and in all trials for violation of this act, the original entry of the record, or a copy thereof certified by the clerk of the corporation; provided that said record shows that a majority of the votes cast at said election was against the sale of intoxicating liquors as a beverage, shall be prima facie evidence that the selling, furnishing or giving away of intoxicating liquors as a beverage or the keeping of a place where such . liquors are sold, kept for sale, given away or furnished, if such selling, furnishing or giving away or keeping such place occurred after thirty days from the day of holding the election, was then and there prohibited and unlawful.”

" Section 4364-20b. And if a majority of the votes cast at such election shall be in' favor of prohibiting the sale of intoxicating liquors as a beverage, then from and after thirty days from the date of holding said election it shall be unlawful for any person, personally or by agent, within the limits of such municipal corporation to sell, furnish or give away any intoxicating liquors to be used as a beverage, or to keep a place where such liquors are kept for sale, given away or furnished, for beverage purposes, and whoever from and after the thirty days aforesaid in any manner directly or indirectly, sells, furnishes, or gives away, or [574]*574otherwise deals in any intoxicating liquors as a beverage, or keeps or uses a place, structure or vehicle, either permanent or transient for such selling, furnishing or giving away or in which or from which intoxicating liquors are sold, given away or furnished, or otherwise dealt in as aforesaid, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and shall on conviction thereof, be fined not more than two hundred dollars nor less than fifty dollars for the first offense, and shall for a second offense be fined not more than five hundred dollars nor less than one hundred dollars, and for any subsequent ofíense be fined not less than two hundred dollars and be imprisoned not more than sixty days and not less than ten days. But nothing contained in any of the sections of this act shall in any manner affect the right of any manufacturer of ihtoxicatiug liquors from the raw material, to sell, deliver, and furnish liis product in wholesale quantities to bona fide retail dealers trafficking in intoxicating liquors or in wholesale quantities to any party or parties residing outside the limits of said municipality.”

Section 3 of the act provides : “ This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage.”

It is fortunate that these provisions of the constitution have been before the Supreme Court regarding legislation of a similar character, and from these decisions we are furnished with much light, if indeed the questions are not authoritatively settled. In Gordon v. State, 46 Ohio St. 607 [23 N. R. Rep. 63; 46 L. R. A. 749], the Supreme Court had before it what is known as the township local option law passed March 3, 1888, 85 O. L. 55.

Sections 1 and 2 of that act, which are Secs. 4364-24 and 4364-25, Rev. Stat., provide as follows: ‘‘Whenever one-fourth of the qualified electors of any township, residing outside of any municipal incorporation, shall petition the trustees thereof for the privilege to determine by bal" lot whether the sale of intoxicating liquors as a beverage shall be prohibited within the limits of such township and without the limits of any such municipal incorporation, such trustees shall order a special election for the pürpose, to be held at the usual place or places for holding township elections ; and notice shall be given and the election conducted in all respects as provided by law for the election of township trustees; and only those electors shall be entitled to vote at such election who reside within the township and without the limits of any such municipal in corporation. A record of the result of such election shall be kept by the township clerk in the record of the proceedings of township trustees ; and in all trials for violation of this act, the original entry of said record, or a copy thereof certified by the township clerk, provided that it shows or states that a majority was against the sale, shall be prima facie evi [575]*575dence that the selling, furnishing, giving away, or keeping a place, if it took place from and after thirty days from the day of the holding oí said election, was then and there prohibited and unlawful.

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Bluebook (online)
13 Ohio C.C. Dec. 571, 3 Ohio C.C. (n.s.) 328, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/lloyd-v-dollisin-ohcirctguernsey-1902.