McIntosh v. Maricopa County

241 P.2d 801, 73 Ariz. 366, 31 A.L.R. 2d 770, 1952 Ariz. LEXIS 259
CourtArizona Supreme Court
DecidedMarch 17, 1952
Docket5398
StatusPublished
Cited by26 cases

This text of 241 P.2d 801 (McIntosh v. Maricopa County) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Arizona Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
McIntosh v. Maricopa County, 241 P.2d 801, 73 Ariz. 366, 31 A.L.R. 2d 770, 1952 Ariz. LEXIS 259 (Ark. 1952).

Opinion

DE CONCINI, Justice.

Clark F. McIntosh, plaintiff below, appeals from the order of the trial court granting summary judgment in favor of defendants Maricopa County Assessor, et al. At issue is whether appellant was a resident of Arizona, within the purview of the Arizona Constitution, Article 9, section 2, as amended, before September 1, 1945. If he was, then he is entitled to the property tax exemption granted to ex-servicemen by the above section.

Appellant’s motion for summary judgment was supported by an affidavit alleging the following facts: On December 17, 1942, appellant and his wife were residents of the state of Wyoming, and on this date he left that state to enter' the military service. Four months later he was sent overseas.

In March, 1945, appellant’s wife was advised by her doctor that the climate of Arizona would be beneficial to her health, and she and their infant son came to this state. This contemplated change was made after the appellant and his wife had written each other concerning it, and their intention was that they would thereby perfect a change of domicile to Arizona. The mother of appellant’s wife came with the *368 family, and she purchased a home here. It was to this address that appellant came after his discharge from military service on November 27, 1945.

Appellant made a timely application for the tax exemption for the year 1950. He was denied the privilege of filing the affidavit, because he was not a bona fide resident of the state of Arizona prior to September 1, 1945.

Appellees did not controvert the facts. The matter was submitted for a declaratory judgment to determine whether appellant was a resident of the state on or before the crucial date. Judgment was rendered in favor of Maricopa County et al. appellees, from which plaintiff appeals.

Appellant’s assignment of error is that it was not necessary for him to have been physicially present in the state prior to the date provided by law, since he was unable to be here by reason of his military service coupled with the fact that his wife and child came here with his consent and intention that this would be their home.

Article 9, section 2, supra, as amended, provides in part: “ * * * There shall be further exempt from taxation the property of widows, honorably discharged soldiers, sailors, United States marines, members of revenue marine service, nurse corps, or of the components of auxiliaries of any thereof, residents of this state, not exceeding the amount of two thousand dollars [$2,000.00], where the total assessment of such widow and such other persons named herein does not exceed $5,000.-00; provided, that no such exemption shall be made for such persons other than widows unless they shall have served at least sixty [60] days in the military or naval service of the United States during time of war, and shall have been residents of this state prior to September 1, 1945. * * * ” (Emp. Supp.) It is this underlined portion with which we are concerned.

Appellant has raised the question of distinction in his supplementary brief between “resident” and. “domicile”. We believe that a brief discussion on this point is of importance to this case. It is axiomatic that there is a technical difference in the meaning of the two words. It is often-said that a person may have several “residences” but only one “domicile”. “ * * * ‘Domicile’ is a larger term, of more extensive signification, and has been said to be used more in reference to personal rights, duties, and obligations; and residence is of a more temporary character than domicile. * * * ” 28 C.J.S., Domicile, § 2a,. page 5.

At no place in the Arizona Constitution, is “domicile” used, but rather “residence”' or “resident” has been employed exclusively. In Pima County v. Weddle, 54 Ariz. 525, 97 P.2d 531, 532, this court speaking of Article 9, section 2, supra, said: “ * * We will not enter upon a discussion of the meaning of the word ‘residents’ for if we *369 should hold that it, in the context in which it is used, is the equivalent of domicile, we think the facts stipulated show Weddle was a bona fide resident of the state before January 1, 1927 and at the time thereafter when he claims the exemption.”

It is clear that the word resident is equivalent to domicile, even though not distinctly spelled out in the Weddle case.

28 C.J.S., Domicile, § 2b, page 7, provides: “Whether the term ‘residence,’ as used in a statute, will be construed as having the- meaning of ‘domicile,’ or the term ‘domicile’ construed as ‘residence,’ depends on the purpose of the statute and the nature of the subject matter, as well as the context in which the term is used. * * * and that whenever the terms are used in connection with subjects of domestic policy, the terms are equivalent, as they also are, generally, where a statute prescribes residence as a qualification for the enjoyment of a privilege,, or the exercise of a franchise ; * *

After an examination of the context and the purpose of this provision, we have no hesitancy in holding that the word “residents” as used in Article 9, section 2, supra, is synonomous with “domicile”.

The question now is whether as a matter of law, appellant had become domiciled in Arizona on or before September 1, 1945. To support his contention appellant cites Hiatt v. Lee, 48 Ariz. 320, 61 P.2d 401, 402, 107 A.L.R. 444, wherein we said:

“ * * * Section 1216, (sec. 55-512, A. C. A. 1939) * * * gives certain rules for determining residence, and while these rules apply specifically only to voters, yet we think they also set forth the general rule for determining residence whenever that may be an issue. * * * ”

and section 55-512, A.C.A.1939, which reads:

“7. The place where a man’s family permanently resides is his residence, unless he be separated therefrom, * *

Appellant contends that as a result of the Hiatt case, supra, and section 55-512(7), there is a presumption that the husband is a resident where the family resides.

We do not believe the above section applicable, since in this case the facts show that he was separated from his family when they moved to Arizona.

In the recent case of Clark v. Clark, 71 Ariz. 194, 225 P.2d 486, in passing on whether a soldier could acquire a domicile in Arizona, so as to be a “bona fide resident” within the meaning of section 27-803, A.C.A.1939, we held that the provisions of Article 7, sections 3 and 6 of the Arizona Constitution did not prevent a serviceman from acquiring a domicile in Arizona. It is important to note, however, that in the Clark case the soldier was physically present in this jurisdiction with the requisite intention.

The authorities are unanimous that two elements must concur in point of time, *370 before a person can select and establish a domicile of choice.

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Bluebook (online)
241 P.2d 801, 73 Ariz. 366, 31 A.L.R. 2d 770, 1952 Ariz. LEXIS 259, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/mcintosh-v-maricopa-county-ariz-1952.