Lynch v. Public Service Commission

376 F. Supp. 1033, 1974 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 8488
CourtDistrict Court, D. Nevada
DecidedMay 17, 1974
DocketCivil A. No. LV-1805
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 376 F. Supp. 1033 (Lynch v. Public Service Commission) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Nevada primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Lynch v. Public Service Commission, 376 F. Supp. 1033, 1974 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 8488 (D. Nev. 1974).

Opinion

DECISION.

EAST, Senior District Judge:

NATURE OF THE CASE

The plaintiff (Lynch) instituted the action on April 18, 1972, against the Public Service Commission of the State of Nevada, a statutory agency of that state, which can sue and be sued, empowered under the laws of the State of Nevada to supervise and regulate the operating and maintenance of “public utilities,” as defined under the laws of Nevada, including persons engaged in motor vehicle transportation activities as is plaintiff, and the named duly constituted Commissioners of the Public Service Commission in their official capacities (Commission).

Lynch seeks under his first cause injunctive and declaratory relief from the deprivation under color of statute, regulation, custom and usage of a right, privilege and immunity secured to Lynch under the due process clause of the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution; and under his second cause injunctive and declaratory relief from unlawful and discriminatory state-imposed burdens upon his interstate commerce enterprise under the Commerce Clause of the United States Constitution.

JURISDICTION

We note the jurisdiction of this three-judge district court under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 and its jurisdictional counterpart, 28 U.S.C. § 1343(3) (Civil Rights) unhampered by the amount-in-controversy requirement of 28 U.S.C. § 1331; Lynch et al. v. Household Finance Corp. et al., 405 U.S. 538, 92 S.Ct. 1113, 31 L.Ed.2d 424, and 28 U.S.C. §§ 2281 and 2284.

INTERVENORS

The intervenor Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) appears as of right [1036]*1036and the intervenors National Motor Freight Traffic Association, Regular Common Carrier Conference, Common Carrier Conference-Irregular Route, and National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (Intervenors) as interested parties were granted leave to intervene for guidance and assistance to the court.

NEVADA STATUTES AND REGULATIONS INVOLVED

Nevada Revised Statutes, 706.260, now 706.266:

“1. It shall be unlawful for any common, contract or other motor carrier transporting property for compensation or private carrier to operate as a motor carrier of interstate . . . commerce within or through this state, without first having furnished the [Commission]:
(a) [Evidence of compliance with provisions of Federal Motor Carrier Act and safety rules and regulations not involved herein].
(b) A current copy of its certificate, permits or exemptions [emphasis supplied] which have been issued by the Interstate Commerce Commission.1
(c) [Other information as may be required not involved herein].
2. Upon being notified by the commission that all requirements have been complied with and upon receipt of an application and the payment of a license fee, the department [of motor vehicles] shall issue such interstate or foreign motor carrier of property or passengers a license.
3. [Waiver of requirements not involved herein].”

Rule 224 of General Order No. 5, adopted by Commission effective December 1,1962, provides in part:

“Every carrier engaged in interstate commerce in the transportation of exempt commodities under the provisions of Section 203(b)(6) of the Interstate Commerce Commission Act, applying for Commission approval for licensing, must supply the Commission with a letter from the District Supervisor of the Interstate Commerce Commission of his state of domicile stating that he is a carrier of record engaged in the transportation of exempt commodities before license will be approved by the Commission.”

Nevada Revised Statutes, 706.660, now 706.701:

“1. No certificate of public convenience and necessity, permit or license issued in accordance with the terms of NRS 706.010 to 706.700, inclusive, shall be construed to be either a franchise or irrevocable.
2. The commission may at any time, for good cause shown, after investigation and upon 5 days’ written notice to the grantee, suspend [emphasis supplied] any certificate, permit or license for a period not to exceed 60 days.”2

UNITED STATES STATUTE INVOLVED

49 U.S.C. § 303. (Vehicles excepted from operation of law.)

“(b) Nothing in this chapter [Interstate Commerce Act, Part 11, Motor Carriers], except the provisions of section 304 . . . relative to qualifications and maximum hours of service of employees and safety of operation or standards of equipment shall be construed to include . (6) motor vehicles used in carrying property2 3 *consisting of [exempt] commodities . . . , if such motor vehicles are not used in carrying any other property, or pas[1037]*1037sengers, for compensation:” [Mixed loads.]

FACTS

We find from the allegations of the complaint and the agreed facts of record that:

Lynch was and now is a resident of the State of Utah, with his principal place of business in Utah, and a motor carrier engaged in the for-hire transportation in interstate commerce of primarily exempt commodities under § 303(b)(6) of the Interstate Commerce Act, and was and is desirous of, and finds it financially necessary to engage in transporting said commodities within or through the State of Nevada;

In June, 1961, Lynch was approved by the Commission, pursuant to NRS 760.-266, for § 302(b)(1) reasonable revenue and § 303(b), exception, lawful police power licensing (state license) as an exempt carrier, and annually thereafter through the year 1966 was issued a “cab card” and license plates by the Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles on a fee arrangement of two and one-half cents per mile traveled on Nevada highway, with a minimum guarantee of $100 annually. This type of fee arrangement was one of three types authorized in Nevada and involved the most practical and economical arrangement for the plaintiff’s operations;

In May, 1964, Lynch in the United States District Court for Utah entered a guilty plea to five counts of unlawful transportation of non-exempt commodities in interstate commerce. Lynch was fined and placed on probation, and in June, 1966, the probation was revoked and his bail forfeited on other similar charges elsewhere;

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

Related

Bowlin v. Deschutes County
712 F. Supp. 803 (D. Oregon, 1988)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
376 F. Supp. 1033, 1974 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 8488, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/lynch-v-public-service-commission-nvd-1974.